Roses & Thorns
by Foxinstrazt
Summary: As pawns are moved into place across the board, the unsuspecting teams of Beacon Academy continue their training, unaware of the larger war brewing on the horizon. Differences divide them, their pasts connect them, and enemies unite them. This is their journey of love, of loss, the pursuit of truth, and the search for the meaning behind the battles they fight. [On Hiatus]
1. Friendly Rivalry

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the following writing except the characters and events I create.**

**Warning: Though it will follow canon to a point, this is AU. Violence, gore, and language contained within. OCs will also be present.**

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**_Roses &amp; Thorns_ – Volume 1 – Chapter 1**

**-Friendly Rivalry-**

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Ruby Rose stood in the middle of the sprawling amphitheater at Beacon Academy, an idle hand playing across the surface of her signature weapon, Crescent Rose. Her constant companion and sweetheart since its construction, the sniper-scythe had been crafted with love by her own hands, and she knew it better than she could claim to know herself. In its folded form, it was not the picture of a fearsome tool of destruction, but all gathered had either seen it in action or heard the stories of her tearing the head from a Nevermore. Forty pairs of eyes bore down upon her, all alone in the open space of the sparring arena, and their stares only amplified the churning nervousness within her gut.

They had been through initiation and assigned teams a mere two days ago, and already it was clear where the lines between the groups of four were located as she scanned the rows of seating available for spectators of the combat simulations. Several minutes before, she had watched from that raised platform as a beast of a boy named Cardin had thoroughly trounced her friend Jaune. It hadn't even seemed like a fair match up, ending without a single hit to the winner's aura.

The Professor in charge of this combat-oriented class and the woman who had fought alongside her last week, Glynda Goodwitch, stood to the side of the fighting ring. A finger flicked across the screen of a scroll, each time fast enough that Ruby could not make out more than a silhouette of a student from the first years. Time passed at a speed that was downright agony to her nerves as the grown woman paused upon one file for the space of a few seconds before giving a satisfactory nod. "Amber Pinion of Team CAIN, please enter the arena."

Given a name, it sparked a memory within, bringing to mind a squad that had managed to gather the required relics in record time. Ruby had seen them on the flight into Beacon, but could only recall fuzzy details. Most of her first day at the Academy had been taken up by the mortification she had felt after literally running into Weiss. The sound of shoes impacting the arena floor brought her back to the present, where the opponent Goodwitch had selected straightened.

She was pretty, that much was certain from the first glance. A ponytail of strawberry blonde hair was pulled back from the girl's face, leaving bangs long enough to cast a shroud over orbs that seemed to glow a fiery red. The pools of liquid crimson found themselves caught in a conflict between flecks of orange and yellow so fiercely that it gave the illusion they were burning as they shone in the bright lights of the combat floor. Gentle tones of olive skin were stained by freckles wherever clothing was not present, including a dusting of the darker pigmentation across the bridge of a delicate nose.

Appraising her opponent, Ruby first noted the fact that her chosen adversary was short, even shorter than she was. The next curiosity was the design of the girl's sneakers. Black in color and comfortable in style, the outer edge of the shoes were decorated with a wing that was engulfed in flames. Dark jeans covered slender legs, outfitted with a unique harness that carried even stranger weapons, two large hoops of metal with a leather grip breaking the circles. Covering a portion of a small chest was a breastplate of silvered metal, its size built to allow full mobility. Trimmed in gold and polished to a shine, the center of the armor was engraved with a pinwheel of regal feathers, the crest of the Pinion Family.

A matching spaulder covered the smaller teen's left shoulder, held fast to a slim bicep by leather straps. Beneath this ensemble of armor was a black t-shirt that seemed simple until the other girl turned to face their teacher, revealing that the back of the garment was where the personal emblem of her opponent sat. Continuing the motif of fire, it was a pair of slender wings that were unfurling a full spread, but each feather was stylized in order to give the impression they of being consumed by flames. Ruby's eyes trailed over to Goodwitch, noticing the trepidation that crossed the older woman's face until another nod came. Just like that, Amber was back to facing her, and it was this time that she saw the way the pools of fire studied her. A mix of pain and sympathy filled those orbs in a way that was far too unnerving to continue contact, forcing her to glance away.

"Fight well." Despite the emotion that thrummed within Amber's chest, she kept her voice at a neutral tone. The mock battle had not even begun, and there was an amount of hurt radiating from the Rose girl that was nigh on unbearable to behold. She buried it, wiping any trace from her features and closing fingers about the grips of her weapons, pulling the bladed rings from their loose harness. They were chakrams, serrated metal that was designed to be thrown, and far from the first choice of arsenal for the rest of the gathered students. Skia and Fos, different by the color of the material they were made from, each corresponded with a gauntlet of similar make. Skia to the obsidian, Fos to the silver. She dropped into a readied stance, with knees bent and arms kept at chest level, indicating that she was prepared for the fight to start.

Ruby responded in kind, pulling Crescent Rose from the harness hanging from the back of her hips with broad grin. First, the shaft of the beautiful weapon extended downward into her waiting hand. Then came the blade, unfolding to its full length as she spun it the deadly scythe in a wide vertical. As she moved, the lights within the room died down, leaving nothing but utter darkness outside of the arena.

Red eyes glanced skyward, a distraction that she capitalized on by charging forward, the heavy blade of her scythe leading the way. With a resounding clash of metal, her strike rebounded off the edge of a chakram, and the target of the attack danced away unhindered. Turning with a huff of surprise, she found that her opponent recovered much faster than expected. One of the rings hurtled toward her, forcing a frantic defense as she threw the shaft of her own weapon up to deflect the projectile. It pinged off of the improvised shield, continuing its path past her, and with that it left the forefront of her thoughts.

At least until it slammed into her back with all the force it had originally held before her block should have slowed it. Stumbling from the blow, Ruby watched with mouth agape as the thrown weapon returned to her opponent's outstretched hand, glowing with the telltale sign of an Aura. On Amber's features was no sign of the victorious smirk one would expect from first year students sizing each other up, only a flinch and a look of regret in the crimson eyes. There was no time to consider the strange reaction, as the dull ache along her spine cried out for retribution.

Understanding that they had now successfully gauged one another, Amber knew that the fight was truly in full swing. Taking a step back in preparation, she wound back her right arm before throwing it forward and releasing the same chakram that she had scored the opening hit with. Spinning on the ball of her leading foot, she came back down to steady ground with the release of a breath, tearing through the air with her offhand weapon before letting it fly behind its companion.

But the opponent she faced was no amateur, as the massive scythe twirled through the air, batting away both of the projectiles with little difficulty. It was only when Amber reached out with her Aura and ripped the blades back that the hooded girl decided on a new course of action, taking to the air. The sound of a shot rang out and the impact sent the black-and-red garbed girl skyward, safely avoiding the next pass of the chakrams.

Directing the blades after the fleeing combatant with her movements, she focused solely on controlling them. Her hands swept from place to place in violent gestures as she brought each chakram to bear as fast as she could manage, only to find herself deprived of an easy victory by a desperate whirling defense that blocked each of her strikes at the last possible second. Amber realized her mistake at being so open with her offensive strategy when silver eyes snapped down to where she stood, and a new light of understanding dawned within them.

A cloud of rose petals erupted from the spot Ruby had last occupied, and she rocketed toward the ground, aiming for her opponent with wild abandon. Somersaulting through the air in order to generate extra momentum, she extended both arms as she brought Crescent Rose down in a wicked slashing blow. The tip of the scythe dug into the stage where Amber had stood only a breath ago, the redhead having dodged back in time. Unfortunately for the shorter girl, the attack came from both blade and rifle, as a shot fired from the barrel of the weapon. Collision and dust round combined, the force was more than enough to send her flying through the air and slam a fragile frame into the side wall.

Ruby hesitated when she saw the damage the vicious attack had dealt the other duelist, watching for a moment as Amber struggled to stand from a kneeling position, obviously hurt as the glow of Aura flickered around the fallen chakrams before fading away. The time to seize her advantage was gone in the blink of an eye because of that concern, as it was not pain expressed upon the redhead's face, but a grim determination as one of the bladed rings returned to a waiting hand.

Unprepared and already weakened from fending off the flurry in the air, she could not mount a defense fast enough to stop the chakram that smashed into her chest. It forced the air from her lungs and would have thrown her back if the tip of her scythe blade had not dug into the floor of the arena. The feeling of her Aura dipping was a sickening one, as energy fled from her limbs due to the effort of repelling the devastating throw.

Letting a small noise of anger rise from the back of her throat, Ruby set her focus upon the girl who was still recovering, and a finger brushed the trigger of her sniper rifle. Leveling the shot for a split second, she fired, feeling the force kick back against her and drag the blade further through the floor. It had gouged a scar upon the smooth surface, but that was not her concern as she pulled back on the bolt and ejected a spent shell casing, feeding another round into the chamber by slamming it back to a closed position.

It was a smooth, practiced motion. Nothing was wasted in the movement that she had drilled for years, and she fired faster than Amber could hope to dodge. The second round was aimed true, smashing into the silver breastplate and throwing the smaller girl back into the wall, where she crumpled yet again. This time, her opponent remained kneeling, and the singular chakram that had been coming around for another attack skittered across the floor.

Lights went up within the amphitheater, and a steady applause rose from the spectators of their match, followed by the screams of approval which could only originate from one possible person. A giggle bubbled through Ruby's lips as she turned to see Yang pumping a fist into the air with glee, and the thrill of victory took a sharp turn into embarrassment as her sister yelled out a curse in front of their entire class. Close to burying her face into an open palm, she froze when a hand ghosted over her right shoulder, bringing her back around to the girl she had fought.

It was strange for her to look down at another student, used as she was to looking up. Amber wore a bright smile on her lips, having recovered from the beating. No words passed between them as the fiery ponytail shifted and the girl cocked her head to one side. Never once did the shimmer within red eyes change, still translating to Ruby a feeling that she was being studied. There was scarce time to ponder this, as Professor Goodwitch stepped back into the combat area.

"Well done, Ms. Rose. To combat a style that relies upon distracting you, you focused solely on the one controlling the weapons. Still, your time in switching from offense to defense is sloppy, that last hit should not have gotten through." Beaming at the praise in the beginning, Ruby found herself knocked down a peg as her earlier mistake was corrected. Folding her weapon back into its passive form, she slid it into place on her belt. "And I hope that Ms. Pinion learns from this defeat, to not telegraph her intentions in battle. Perhaps a little less time fighting simulated opponents is in order?" Settling emerald eyes upon the smaller teen, Goodwitch received nothing more than a slight bow of a head in return for her advice. A hand rose to push glasses up from the bridge of her nose, looking down at her scroll in order to break the silence. "Very well then. Next up on the roster: Iris Vex, also of Team CAIN."

Turning to exit the floor and return to the stands above, Ruby saw the next fighter jump down into the arena. This girl she recognized, finding it hard to forget such a flamboyant personality, even if their only interaction had been half a minute on the airship. When the other teen neared, the Faunus was grinning from ear to ear and had raised a hand with the intention of a high-five. Slapping a palm against the other one waiting, she was rewarded with a soft laugh accompanied by fox ears that twitched happily. "Nice job, Red. Amber knows what she is doing, but I wouldn't count CAIN out yet, that girl has never been the best at one-on-one fights!"

Whistling through her teeth, Iris continued past Ruby, stepping up next to the Professor and turning her gaze toward the stands. "Ms. Vex. As your team lost last round, you may choose your opponent."

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Yang's leg hadn't stopped fidgeting since Ruby's match had begun, much to the chagrin of her other teammates, who had moved to the bench behind the front row in order to avoid being unpleasantly bounced around by her agitation. It wasn't that she was worried the scythe wielder would be injured, these were only practice rounds after all, but she had never been a fan of watching her little sister fight. The younger girl slid down into a seat next to her, unprepared for the bone crushing hug that she immediately received. "Good job, sis!"

"Not that it was much of a challenge." It was the silver-haired girl that sat behind them who casually dismissed her Ruby's achievement, and all of Team RWBY's eyes turned to Weiss. "She's one of the Pinion Twins. They always fight together, so there are glaring gaps when they are separated."

Raising an eyebrow at her partner, Ruby spoke softly. "I don't think she was trying all that hard, I didn't notice her using a semblance."

All too happy to offer her opinion, Weiss leaned forward. "Exactly. In a real fight, you would throw everything you had into it. She didn't even try because she can't fight one on one." Pale blue eyes rolled as the girl folded her arms. "Hardly Beacon material, if you ask me."

"Are you shitting me?" It was Blake, who had been only mildly paying attention to the conversation before, who broke it up entirely. Her eyes were centered upon the girl Ruby had high-fived only seconds ago, and the surprise upon her partner's face was enough to draw Yang's attention. What awaited her was a shock, to say the least. The next student up for dueling was a Faunus, a fact apparent to anyone could immediately identify, but that was more or less normal for Beacon.

What was causing the chorus of gasps and groans throughout the audience, was the strut the teen in the center of the stage was adopting. Swaying her hips, the Faunus was fanning a long, bushy black tail back and forth in rhythm with her rear as she walked a wide circle around the stadium. Violet eyes appraised those who sat in the stands, and a devilish looking half-smile told of the enjoyment she was getting from ruffling the crowd's feathers.

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Iris Vex strode forward confidently, swaying her hips in such a way in order to generate a similar motion with her tail, drinking in the mix of surprised gasps or groans that rose from those behind her. No matter where she went, people would react to her obvious Faunus traits, her tail and ears, one way or the other. Better to do so on her terms, or as she liked it: As raunchily as possible. Raising both arms, she entwined her fingers and stretched toward the sky, giving an exaggerated yawn and muffing up her long hair as much as she could.

Black tresses fell about in a messy pattern, their tips dyed in a gradient of purple, beginning at subtle lavender and blooming into the full color of her own eyes. When she opened them, it wasn't hard to tell who was looking because they wanted to, her gaze locking with a distinct pair of similar orbs. "If that is quite enough, Ms. Vex?" Turning, she regarded the uptight Professor with a small smile and a nod. "Good. Now, please, choose your opponent."

"Mm, can I?" She didn't even try to contain the layer of excitement upon her voice as she turned back to the other girl who had been quite positively enraptured by her. "Let's keep the rivalry going, yeah? I choose the blondie on Team RWBY." Indignation covered gorgeous features, and it only caused Iris' grin to grow larger as she teased again, pointing an index finger toward the seated beauty "Come on down blondie, let's fight!"

With little delay, Yang slid over the side of the railing and landed roughly on the stage, a fiercely confident grin evident upon her face. "Your funeral, foxy." Despite the banter, she took a moment to truly examine the young woman standing before her. Gray high tops covered her feet, the worn fabric of the shoes folded over at the ankle, while skinny black jeans complemented the lithe and toned legs beneath. Cinched about her waist, through the loops of her pants, was a silver studded belt. Fastened to the band was a white silk half shirt, falling down to knee length on the right side. On this garment lay the girl's personal emblem, a violet eye with a slit pupil, and two bloodied gashes cutting through the orb. It was a macabre scene, clashing with the style of the otherwise fun and flirtatious teen.

A violet shirt, made from the same material as the skirt, covered the Faunus' chest. Light lacing was all that held the piece of clothing together in the middle, exposing cleavage that came close to rivaling Yang's. Atop that was a short-sleeved over shirt of soft black cotton, unbuttoned and hanging loosely at girl's sides. Sitting over the slim waist was a simple brown belt with a strap of leather that acted as a holster for a folded weapon. Each hand was protected by fingerless leather gloves, both of them backed by a silver plate of armor. The right wrist of the teen was covered by a white bandana that had been folded into a makeshift bracelet, further upsetting the symmetry of the outfit. Behind the Faunus was a bushy tail that swayed gently from side to side as she watched, its dark fur dyed in similar style to the girl's hair, so that its tip ended in a stunning purple color.

"I'm a fox?" Raising a hand to her head in mock horror, Iris felt around until she found her ears, running her fingers over the soft black fur. "When did that happen?!" Her efforts earned her a collective groan from the onlookers around the arena, but her reward was a dazzling smile from the girl she had challenged. One that she met with a bashful gaze, even going so far as to turn away and feign a shy giggle. The facade fell away as she turned back, letting the thrill of competition take its place. "Now then, what d'ya say we give these fine folks a show?"

Yang readied Ember Celica with a chuckle and a smirk, feeling the metal gauntlets slide into place and lock. Letting her left arm fall toward the ground, she pointed it directly behind her and fired, the force propelling her toward Iris at extreme speed. Her right fist followed through with a flying punch, one that was slapped aside by the bare wrist of her opponent. Skidding across the floor for a few more feet, she rounded with renewed purpose and swiped at her target once more.

Again, Iris deflected the attack and sidestepped the charging mass in order to avoid any incoming force. Again, she accompanied this with a teasing laugh that seemed to cause her opponent to utterly quiver in anger before the blonde turned on her. "Come on blondie, hit me. I like my kisses with a little bite to them!" Enjoying their dance immensely, she waited until the gun gauntlets were only a few feet away in order to fall into concentration and step away from them.

It was different this time, Yang could feel it as she missed her target, and she knew why at the last possible moment. Her eyes locked on lavender orbs, watching helplessly as one of them closed into a wink that seemed to be in slow motion, while the other began to glow. She stumbled, almost tripping on nothing as she felt compelled to turn and stare at the Faunus girl like an drooling lecher. Despite the trance, she could hear the surprised noises emanating from the gathered crowd, and above them came the voice of her little sister. "Yang, what are you doing?" In truth, she had no idea. The purple-eyed girl who had singled her out was attractive, that much was certain, but to just stand in place during a fight and watch was literally the opposite of what she would do to impress such a girl.

Iris watched the blonde with a mixture of confidence and joy. On one hand, she knew the trick that was causing Yang to freeze like that, but on the other it was a soaring confirmation of what she had hoped for the moment she had seen the stare from the lilac colored eyes. Reaching down to the holster at her waist, she gripped the hilt of Siren Melody, bringing it out in one switch action. It lived up to it's name beautifully, the silver steel of the gun-blade folding out into a flourished and curved tip. The center of the blade was strategically empty in a few places, leaving room for air to pass through when the weapon was swung. Pleasant sound was the product of such gorgeous design.

A whistling tune, its cadence as easy to the ears as its bearer was on the eyes, came as she twirled the weapon between her fingers. "Yang! Move your ass and block!" A shouted warning, probably from the girl with a black bow that was her opponent's partner, came from the shadows. This time, the words shattered the trance, and a gauntlet was raised in time to deflect her attack and producing a roar of scraping steel. Baring her teeth in a grin, Iris took a step back and adopted a high defensive pose, giggling softly at the angry surprise that covered the blonde's features.

Yang shook her head in an effort to clear it, violently unprepared for the force of the semblance that had stunned her. Before her, the teen she was fighting was holding an elegant blade in a reversed grip, waiting for her to counter-attack. She did not wait long, kicking off of the ground to punch at the Faunus, firing off a blast as her fist connected with the flat of the silver weapon before her. Her left followed through as it ducked under the defense and slammed into the soft center of a stomach, detonating another shell with enough force that it lifted her target from the ground for a moment.

But Iris was not beaten by a single attack, as she stabbed downward and ground the edge of her blade against an exposed hip before spinning away, Siren whistling through the air as she did so. She moved as if it was a dance, twirling her weapon through fingers as if it were a baton and stepping lightly from position to position. Gripping the hilt in both hands, she struck down onto the raised gauntlet, her attack driving the blonde back a step. It was then that she disengaged, jumping back onto her hands and kicking out at the other girl's chin before completing the flip by landing upon her feet. Whirring of gears came as she activated her weapon's alternate form, the middle parting and sliding forward while the blade slid back, and the hilt rotated downward to form a more comfortable grip. Raising the transformed rifle, she fired off a flurry of shots, one after another, until the current clip was expended. A latch dropped the spent magazine, and a practiced hand ripped the next from the pouch at her belt and shoved it into the space that had been occupied by its predecessor.

To her credit, Yang was able to block the first few, but the next half dozen or so slammed into her chest, forcing her back but activating her own semblance. Her long hair began to burn, and the heat within her limbs grew exponentially as she felt anger bubble up inside her chest. When she raised her gaze back to the beautiful fox standing opposite her, a wide grin took over her lips as she smashed her fists together.

Dashing forward, she let out a furious yell and slammed the leading fist into the wall behind her target. Confusion replaced confidence, as she glanced about for her opponent, only to receive several more shots from the whistling weapon as the Faunus soared over her. Iris landed several feet from her, the girl's back turned. Placing a boot against the surface she had just struck, Yang pushed off. Her speed surprised the other, and she scored a savage hit in the girl's stomach with enough force to truly lift her from the ground and into the air.

Punching forward, the force of Yang's hit should have been enough to send Iris flying, but she reached out and grabbed hold of the girl's ankle. Ripping backwards, she reversed the Faunus' momentum and brought her closer, right into the final blow. Bringing down a fist from on high, she slammed her opponent straight down into the ground with enough power that the girl skidded across the ground, bouncing several times before coming to rest in a heap on the floor.

The amphitheater became lit again to signal the end of the match, and she was left to a roaring cheer coming from the crowd, one that she ignored as she strode over to the girl who was still recovering from her beating. Stowing away Ember Celica, she reached down to offer the Faunus a helping hand, one that was ignored for a moment before being accepted, and she hauled the other up to her feet.

Coughing as she attempted to regain control of her breath, Iris nearly fell into the arms that had destroyed her moments ago, but that did not stop the airy laugh that escaped her throat. "Shit, blondie. Starting to feel sorry for challenging you."

"Still time to kiss and make up." She grinned at the tease, steadying herself as her Aura came back from the beating and restored some of her vitality. Still, she hung onto the strong arms that were dangerously close to cradling her, even when she saw Professor Goodwitch striding toward them. Sliding her gaze up, she found that the purple of the blonde's eyes was now dominated by a bright red. "And call me Yang."

"Yang." Smiling sheepishly, she stared for far too long as the red faded back to a rich lilac color, locked in a trance similar to the one she had placed the other in earlier. "Maybe we'll make up later.."

"I bet." Yang pushed the Faunus back playfully, turning to sheepishly smile at the rather judgmental stare emanating from the uptight Professor that was overseeing the matches.

Goodwitch cleared her throat, addressing the entire room instead of just the two combatants. "Calm down now, children. An exciting fight, to be sure, and another that we can take a lesson from. Both of them fell into a trap of not considering what the others semblance could be." Icy green eyes settled upon Iris, cold enough to cause her to shudder and glance away for a moment. "Ms. Vex struck as hard as she could, even when she saw it was only empowering her opponent. And Ms. Long made the mistake of dillydallying in the middle of a fight, more concerned with fawning after her opponent than fighting her."

"Well that's not fair.." Yang's mumbled objection brought down the hard glare of Glynda Goodwitch, stealing any will from her to fight this battle. Instead, she settled on shoving Iris lightly, whispering her next words. "She seduced me." The Faunus responded by belting out a laugh loud enough that it echoed through the chamber, bending at the waist as the noise only increased in intensity, becoming enough of a nuisance that the Professor decided it was best just to move on.

"Remove yourself from the arena, you two, and we will continue with the next combatant." Raising a finger to push her glasses up the bridge of her nose, she looked down at the scroll she held. "Claire Briar, leader of team CAIN. You are next up on the list."

* * *

Ruby scooted down the bench to allow her sister room to sit as Yang returned, glancing over with a confused expression. Before she could even voice her question, she was interrupted by Weiss, who made a disgusted face. "How could you just stare at her like that? Their kind don't mesh well with us."

"Their kind?" Yang was genuinely surprised at the question, turning to face the silver-haired girl with raised eyebrows. "And I wasn't flirting or anything, something was stopping me from attacking."

"That's her semblance, Lull. She can force you to focus on something, but only if you wanted to in the first place. It takes the sensation you have, be it a desire to attack, or a _fascination_, and amplifies it until you can't ignore the urge to act on it." The icy heiress brushed her side ponytail over her shoulder, crinkling her nose. "And by 'kind', I mean Faunus."

"Oh." Rather unable to come up with any other excuse now that she had been outed, Yang only grinned and shrugged her shoulders. Despite her cheery demeanor, she did not miss the way the Blake glanced over to angrily glare at their teammate. "Oh well. Could've handled staring at her a few more seconds, though only if she did that thing she was doing before the match." Seeing the disgust that was written in Weiss' expression, she pressed even further, a sudden curiosity at what would happen if someone pushed the heiress' buttons too far overtaking her. "I mean, did you see her ass? The tail is cool and all, but damn. She must work on getting it that perfect, right Blake?"

Her partner was busy staring daggers at their rude teammate, and was genuinely surprised to be dragged into the conversation, glancing over with what could only be called guilt in her golden eyes. "I.. Uh, well.." Pale cheeks tinged pink as both Yang and her little sister devolved into a fit of giggles, while Weiss was left to sigh with open contempt at their antics. Blake recovered quickly enough to pipe in with her own judgment of Iris' appearance. "I kind of like her tail. But she's a little too forward for my taste." Unconsciously, she slid her gaze past the blonde to the leader of their squad, staring overlong before blinking and jerking her sight away from the younger girl.

Ruby, sitting right next to a loud blonde who was howling with laughter, almost missed it as the next dueler entered the arena. Like the others, the leader of Team CAIN slid over the railing to jump down. Unlike the others, she did not land with any force at all, her feet touching ground as she entered the ring of brightened light with no sound at all. "Weiss Schnee!" Words barked out like an order caused the laughter amongst Team RWBY to die down instantly as all their eyes snapped to the student standing next to Professor Goodwitch. A Faunus like her teammate, Clair Briar sported wider but shorter ears, those of a wolf, tipped with gray fur. There was a casual disinterest in the girl's gaze as she glanced at the teacher. "Assuming I can choose."

* * *

Weiss' watched as the brown eyes of her opponent turned toward her, settling into a glare that seemed far too personal for a girl she had only seen a handful of times. She matched it with a cold stare that had been practiced and honed by years of lessons on boardroom politics. Snatching up her rapier, she strode toward the railing and slide over easily, landing with a noise of protest as she looked up. Before her stood a Faunus who was roughly as tall as Yang, her wolfish ears twitching in agitation. Wild rust-colored hair cascaded down the girl's back, with bangs hanging haphazardly in front of a fierce expression. The sight caused her lips to curl with apprehension, as her opponent made Ruby look well-groomed.

Steel-toe-and-heel combat boots were buckled to knee height, while brown shorts only reached down to mid-thigh, exposing a few inches of tanned skin. A black leather belt was clasped outside of the loops on the shorts, housing a long saber that had a spiked guard covering it's hilt, while the very edge of the blade was made of some type of crystal.

A tan jacket hung open over a formfitting black t-shirt, though the hem was torn and frayed all about, and the light cloth did little to hide the knotted muscles that lay beneath it. Each hand was covered in obsidian colored gauntlets, fingerless like Yang's and showing off the way the fingers clasped and released again and again, revealing a nervous tic. What drew Weiss' gaze the most was the emblem upon the girl's chest, a wilted white rose, bending at the stem and dying in the center of a ring of thorns. So engrossed in studying her opponent, she was unaware that Goodwitch had left until the lights dimmed to black out the audience.

There was no playful banter between them, like there had been for their teammates, just a strange growing anger that the Schnee girl was unaware of. Claire Briar seethed as she circled the heiress, watching as the smaller girl drew a thin rapier from her belt. Scoffing at the tiny weapon, she drew Staccato Scar, ripping it free from of its trappings and advancing upon her target. Before she was within three paces, a white glyph sprung to life on the ground beneath Weiss and rocketed her away from range.

Raising both of her hands and summoning up the dust present within Myrtenaster, Weiss created several globes of icy power before sending them hurtling toward her opponent. They took chaotic paths, flowing through the air in unpredictable arcs, but always striking true to where she aimed. Impossibly so, the Faunus she was fighting evaded them with a move that looked like she was simply falling away from the ground. Unsure if the girl had jumped or not, she watched as the brunette spun in midair and then flew towards her, a leg outstretched in a kick.

Claire was only inches away from striking true when she landed, slamming into the ground with enough force that it chipped away at the stage floor. With no hesitation, she kicked out with her leading foot and spun herself around, swiping out the Schnee girl's legs in a viciously quick attack. Staccato Scar followed shortly after, slashing at the air that was previously occupied by the platinum-haired girl, who was busy rolling away.

Giving chase with a snarl, Claire righted herself and ran toward her target with wild and angry abandon, both of their blades clashing as the other girl found her feet in time to block. Saber met rapier in a ear shattered sound of scraping metal, and it was then that she unleashed Scar's true abilities, her thumb flicking the latch on the hilt. Red dust bled into the crystalline edge of the blade, generating a hum and a bloody glow that illuminated the dim arena. More importantly, it set a fire to the air nearby, and forced the heiress to retreat from their impasse with a gasp of surprise.

Swinging her blade through the air casually, flames and ash followed the metalwork as she advanced on the smaller form. The piercing weapon forced her to defend, swiping aside the pinprick again and again as she continued to force her opponent back. Eventually, she found her opening as she was able to pull the points of both blades toward the ground, allowing her to free her left hand. Reaching back to the grip of the pistol she kept tucked into it's holster, she drew it in and pointed it straight into the chest of her opponent at point-blank range.

Weiss felt her eyes go wide as she realized her error, her mind racing to remember if she should have noticed the second weapon. It was then she knew her opponent's calculating mind, that every movement had been to refuse her any line of sight on the hidden advantage, just as the dust chamber within the saber had been. A three round burst fired from the barrel of the weapon, slamming into her chest with enough force she stumbled back, and her clumsy attempt to create a glyph was stopped by another volley from the firearm.

It was on the second burst she tripped, scurrying away from any continued fire in an effort to regain control of her own situation on this battlefield. Placing her right hand upon the hard surface of the stage, she etched a glyph into the ground, sending herself skyward. Above the arena in the blink of an eye, she righted herself and glared down at her opponent, who was aiming upwards at her. In the light, the brown irises of the wolf-girl seemed to change into a sanguine color, fractals of red evident throughout the orbs. Breathing in as her momentum began to fall away, Weiss reasserted that she could still with the fight, despite the devious mind she now battled.

Summoning up an acceleration glyph behind her, she rocketed downward. A burst came from that damned pistol, but she dodged by sending herself diagonally through the space between them with another glyph, and then again in the opposite direction. With a cry, she slashed across her opponent's chest, landing with enough momentum that she slid several feet before stopping.

Claire was staggered by the blow, but recovered without delay so that she was able to replace Packmaster into it's holster, letting out a bestial growl as she turned to face the Schnee girl once again. She needed no time to recover, instead charging with a furious scream toward her opponent with saber raised. First, their blades crossed and she used her hilt to shove the silvery rapier wide, before smashing the guard of her own weapon into the other girl's face. The light of the dust within the crystals died down, and with her advantage spent, she abandoned the blade.

It succeeded in stunning Weiss, who lost her hold on Myrtenaster, and heard only the clang of her weapon a second before it was followed by yet another sound of metal hitting the floor. Pain lanced through the structures of her face, having been punched with enough force that her aura had done little but soften the blow. Glancing up to quickly see what else had been lost in the fierce assault, she found that her opponent had abandoned the vicious dust saber that had set the air on fire. Confusion set in for only a moment, before one gauntleted fist followed the first strike into her shoulder.

Claire bared her fangs in an animalistic growl as the smaller girl crumpled beneath her punch, reaching down to pick the other up before delivering winding back another attack, coming in from a lower angle this time. The strike carried more than enough force, sending the silver-haired teen across the arena, where she crashed to the floor and began trying to stand. Striding toward victory, Claire snapped the thumb and index finger of her left hand, letting a reddish glow surround her hand before she placed it palm first upon the floor underneath the other girl.

Weiss, still recovering from being thrown through the air, was on her hands and knees. Her aura had broken from being thrown across the arena, but now she was held in a sensation of weightlessness, and floating almost an inch from the ground. Before she was able to truly comprehend what was coming, she saw the shiny tip of a steel-toed boot rocket toward her stomach. The impact, combined with the semblance that had robbed gravity from her form, caused her to slam into the nearby wall so hard that the stonework cracked. It was then that her opponent's strange ability ceased to effect her, and she fell to the floor with a cry of pain.

Claire Briar watched as pale blue eyes, threatening to flutter closed and give the Schnee girl the gift of unconsciousness, stared up at her in pain. Too disoriented to be defiant, her opponent needed but one more hit to finish her off, and so she obliged by gripping a fistful of hair and pulling the other girl upright. Even as she wound back a punch, she became aware of the lights in the amphitheater, and a stunned silence that told her she had delivered a blow far too late into the match. She had seen the blue aura shatter the first time her opponent had struck the wall, and the kick had been issued against zero defenses. In her rage, she had ignored the signs of a beaten foe and continued her assault.

Staring down at the prone girl, she felt her fingers clasp and release in nervousness as the haze of anger bled away. She became acutely aware of the stares that were centered upon her, and the way that the teen upon the ground was groaning. For a moment, a hand reached out to help the girl up, but then withdrew. Without a word, she turned and walked to where Staccato Scar lay, collecting it and heading for the edge of the stage, to where Professor Goodwitch stood. Furious and silent, the older woman held a scowl that told of the punishment to come. "Class dismissed! Team RWBY, please take Ms. Schnee to the infirmary."

Glynda turned her gaze upon the young Faunus standing nearby, and saw the way that Claire Briar looked back at Weiss Schnee. There was an expression flooded with regret and concern, no longer that seething anger that had possessed the girl in battle. "You are coming with me to Professor Ozpin's office. Now." Steering the teen with a firm hand on a strong shoulder, she gave a small push toward the room's exit before releasing her.

* * *

**Author's Note: Despite having a rather heavy load in my life with work and other things, I recently watched this show after hearing of Monty Oum's passing. I've been a long time fan of his work, and though it may seem silly, I felt like I needed to do something. So here it is, enjoy. I will try to keep notes to the minimum, but please feel free to review or contact me directly with a private message. Much love to my followers and to any readers, you guys rock! - Fox**

**Updated: Running through and rewriting sections of the story in order to simply make it better or describe the characters in more detail. If you have any suggestions please feel free to let me know! Chapter 5 will be first up on my to do list, then the updates!**


	2. Wayward Rage

_**Roses &amp; Thorns –**_** Volume 1 – Chapter 2**

**-Wayward Rage-**

* * *

Professor Ozpin took a long sip from his mug as he finished watching the amphitheater recording that Glynda had sent him. It was clear as day that Weiss Schnee had been beaten when the heiress was flung across the small arena and into a wall. The lights had come up in the room and some students had even begun cheering for the faunus' victory when the girl had not slowed in stalking her opponent, when she had activated her semblance. He had watched with a grimace when Weiss was suspended above the ground and subjected to a vicious kick to the abdomen, and he had noted the way that Claire had come out of the rage both confused and showing clear regret upon her face.

A notification chimed on the edge of his desktops screen, prompting him to lean forward and tap a finger against the interface. What appeared was a medical report on the injuries sustained during today's lessons, detailing that the Schnee girl would make a full recovery, suffering no broken bones or internal injuries and showing a sturdiness that her slim figure did not imply. With a weary sigh, he moved his finger to the button for the door buzzer, signaling his fellow staff member to bring in the faunus girl.

The doors slid open, revealing Glynda Goodwitch with a firm hand upon Claire Briar's shoulder. Guided in by the stern woman, the teenager met his gaze for a mere instant before glancing away guiltily. Ozpin elected to remain silent until the two were directly in front of his desk, collecting his own thoughts and letting the young girl stew in hers. "Ms. Briar. As you know, you were admitted to this Academy without the usual entrance process. You were vetted by a hunter that I know personally, and respect the opinion of." He watched as a hand raised to brush rust-colored hair from the girl's face, a small movement that did little to impact the messy style. "What you may not be aware of is: I was assured that you had sorted out the issues that plagued you at your former school." Wide reddish-brown eyes snapped up to his, surprise showing within their depths as he gave a slow nod. "Yes, I know that you were denied graduation because of a previous altercation with another student."

"That was different!" The faunus' outburst seemed to surprise herself, as she quickly closed her mouth and sat back in her seat, cheeks darkening as her usual angry demeanor returned.

"Oh?" Ozpin set his mug down upon the table before him, folding his hands and leaning forward, indicating that he was both paying attention and willing to be patient. At the girl's side, Glynda raised an eyebrow at his attempt to hear her out. "Different how?"

"He was being an ass." If Claire had noticed that she cursed, she did not show it, continuing on with little pause. "He kept calling me an animal, and told me my ears should be.." Even as he watched, the Professor could see the way she struggled to control the emotions boiling up inside her, a hand clenching and shaking from the fury she held. The final word was growled between clenched teeth. "Cropped."

"I see."

Quiet overtook the room for a long while, as she averted her gaze and focused upon calming down. Eventually, his silence subtly coaxed her to continue, this time with a more even tone. "I lost it. One moment he grabbed my ear and pulled, and the next.." For all that he knew the girl had been through, it did not surprise him that she was having trouble voicing the memory.

Giving her time to reopen her eyes, Ozpin hooked two fingers through the handle of his mug and brought it to his lips to take a long drink of the tea. In this time, he studied the posture of the student across the table. She was not at all the girl he had seen in the recording, not with the slumped shoulders and continual hand-wringing. But in this moment, Claire Briar was the young woman he had seen the potential for a great huntress within. Clasping his drink with both hands, he gently prodded her in and effort to get her talking again. "What was different from that incident and this?"

"I.. I don't know." Claire gave a solemn shrug of her shoulders, folding her arms as she did so. "I've never spoke to Weiss, and I didn't even know about her until I got here. First time I saw her she was yelling at the Rose girl in the courtyard." Glancing to the side, she scooted a bit further away from Professor Goodwitch while remaining in her seat, the older woman's stern presence becoming more and more uncomfortable.

Ozpin noticed the discomfort with his colleague, and turned his gaze toward the blonde woman. "Glynda, if you would please go check on Ms. Schnee and the rest of team RWBY." Before she could begin to protest, he cut her off. "I'd like to know what their reaction to all of this will be, and if the relationship between them and Ms. Briar here can be mended." Blue eyes rolled in response to his request, but she still followed his direction, giving a slight nod before departing. Once she was gone, he returned his attention to the teen. "Now then. If you did not know Weiss, why did you attack her so?"

Staring down at the floor, Claire mumbled something that did not reach his ears, prompting him to make a questioning noise. Knowing that he had not heard, and would continue to bother her if she did not speak up, she responded by sighing deeply. "Because she is a Schnee."

"Ah." His vague answer revealed nothing to her, but what he said next shocked her into looking up. "You will apologize to her, when she awakens." But Ozpin was not about to let her off the hook so easily, and he leaned forward with his elbows on the desk, hands clasped in front of him. "You will also attend one class period each day here, with me. I will attempt to coach you in mastering your emotions, and finding a calmness that will allow you to grow past what you were in that arena." Rising from his seat, he gathered his cane and beckoned her toward the door.

She rose and followed his lead, head hung low and ears drooping, as he continued. "You have a place here at Beacon, for the moment. If you allow it, it can become a home, and your fellow students can be family." Stopping at the open door, he gestured toward the elevator. "But if you cannot find a way to stem the rage that takes you over, you will be dismissed from your position." Claire stepped through the doorway and into the elevator, saying nothing as the doors began to slide close. She looked up only when they were stopped by the end of a cane, and found the professor's brown eyes focused intensely upon her. "Do you understand me, Ms. Briar?"

Affirming it with an eager nod, she clenched her hands once again. Though this time, it was in a gesture of resolve, rather than a fidgeting movement. "I understand, sir." Having gotten the response he wanted, Ozpin withdrew his cane and allowed the doors to close, letting a smile ghost across his lips before turning back to return to his desk.

* * *

Yang Xiao Long watched from the side as her half-sister held the hand of their teammate. They were in the infirmary, surrounding the pale girl who had taken a rather harsh beating only an hour before. She had been present when the nurses had checked for any serious injuries, and it took a mind like hers, one accustomed to brawling in close quarters, to appreciate how lucky Weiss was that severe bruising was all that had occurred.

With folded arms, she studied the scene before her. Weiss lay unconscious on the bed, propped up by the mass of pillows that sat beneath her head. Sitting upon the side of the mattress was Ruby, who gently cradled her partner's right hand in both of her own. Behind the youngest girl stood Blake, who drew Yang's curious gaze, as the girl's hand was on her half-sister's shoulder. Even as she started to raise an eyebrow and think about mentioning the strangeness before her, a bump alerted her to another at her side.

"Heya blondie." Glancing over, she saw that her opponent from the dueling class had arrived, violet eyes alight with concern as the faunus peered at the prone girl. "How's she doing?"

Yang gave a heavy shrug of her shoulders, letting out a long sigh as she did so. "She'll be alright, but right now she's pretty banged up." Turning to fully face the other girl, she saw the furred fox ears twitch in sync with the purple-tipped tail, before bright eyes snapped their attention over to her. "What was Claire thinking?"

"She.. Uh, I don't know." Iris shook her head slowly, raising both hands palms up to indicate that she was just as lost as the blonde. Eyes of lilac showed clear disbelief within them, enough that she felt the need to elaborate. "Look, all I know is that she was expelled from Impetus for a similar thing. Left another student in a pool of blood, but.. Well, that one deserved it."

"Maybe she heard Weiss talking about you." The words came from the raven-haired girl who was standing near the bed, and golden orbs flicked over in her direction. "She was being kind of a bitch about Yang flirting with you."

Beside her, Iris caught the blonde muttering under her breath. "I was seduced."

Both statements brought a disbelieving grin to her lips, and a incredulous laugh sounded throughout the room, loud enough that it earned her a shush from one of the nurses in the nearby vicinity. "Trust me, Briar did not do this because of me."

"She's your partner, and you went to Impetus too, didn't you?"

Looking directly at brawler next to her, Iris gave a nod to confirm the question. "Yeah, doesn't mean we like each other. I was actually trying _not_ to find her first in the forest." Accepting the answer for what it was, Yang turned back to look at Weiss, who was beginning to stir. She watched as Ruby's eyes lit up and the younger girl leaned forward so that her partner could see her more clearly.

Ruby was careful not to sit on anything that might be bruised as she peered down into the disoriented expression of the silver-haired girl. "Weiss. How're you feeling?"

"And here I thought.." Pale blue orbs locked onto her, and a frown twisted pale lips. "That death would at least get me away from you."

The heiress' response brought a chuckle from their teammates, but not from her, as she matched the feigned frown with a genuine one of her own. "Hey, I was worr-!" Before she could finished, a slim hand touched her shoulder, and a weary smile passed over the pretty features beneath her.

"Relax, Ruby. I'm okay, thank you for your concern." Satisfied with that answer, she leaned back, grinning from ear to ear. She watched quietly as Weiss glanced about and got her bearings, noting the way the pale girl froze when her gaze landed upon Iris.

"Welcome back." Never one to mince words, the Faunus gave a teasing wink. "Heard you were sour that blondie likes me." It earned her a punch from Yang, a love tap compared to what the brawler had dished out in the arena, but still enough to cause her to stumble and hold the shoulder gingerly. "Fine, I'm going!"

"All of you are going." The nurse that had previously shushed them was now at the end of the bed Weiss occupied. A short woman with graying hair, she held the stern expression only worn by experienced mothers as she shooed them from their friend's bedside. "Ms. Schnee needs her rest, and you all have classes you should be attending."

Ruby glanced behind her, seeing that Blake was running interference so she could say a proper goodbye. Moving down to take her partner in a careful embrace, she spoke softly. "Glad you're alright, Weiss. Message me if you need anything from our room, okay?"

When she pulled back, there was a grateful smile across the heiress' lips. "Thank you, Ruby."

* * *

It was hard for Ruby to concentrate on the remainder of her classes for the day. Not that she paid much attention in history or Grimm biology anyway, she usually relied on the meticulous notes that Weiss took in each of the subjects, as well as the girl's careful proofreading and corrections of her papers. But today, whenever she drifted off into her own thoughts, the subject inevitably turned to the fights she had watched from the stands.

Each hit between the combatants had been pulled back a slight amount, except for when her partner had fought the wolf-girl, Claire. The faunus had thrown every effort into each attack, and the irony was that Weiss would likely consider her prime 'Beacon material' if she had not been on the receiving end of the onslaught. Part of her wanted to be mad at the leader of team CAIN, but a majority of parts agreed that understanding what was happening beneath the glaring exterior of Claire Briar was important. Each of them had a past, something that dragged them down no matter how hard they tried to shake it.

Ruby knew what drove her, what the guiding force behind her goal was. It allowed her to fight as long as she needed in order to win, but with Claire it was different. The faunus hadn't fought to win, she had fought to kill. She had fought like a huntress would in the field, and it caused Ruby no small amount of discomfort that she was envious of such resolve. That she could be impressed with such savagery. Now, laying awake in the darkness of their dorm, she couldn't help but wonder with morbid curiosity what it would take for herself to reach that point.

Unable to sleep, and unable to shake the unpleasantness from her thoughts, she gave a long sigh and rose from her sheets. Pulling the sleeping mask up from her eyes, she slid her legs over the edge of her bunk, accidentally taking an open book on Grimm physiology with them. Cursing that she forgot her own late-night studying, she froze in place and waited for either Blake or Yang to ask what she was doing. In the complete silence of night, there came a ragged snore from her sister that brought a bright smile to her lips as she continued her descent to the dorm floor, landing noiselessly.

Tossing the large tome of Grimm knowledge back up to her suspended bunk, she turned to grab Crescent Rose from the dresser that sat between the two sleeping spaces, lifting it easily and pausing only to make sure that her two teammates were still asleep before tiptoeing toward the door and slipping out.

The dorm hallway was lit only by a strip of dim blue lighting on the ceiling, simulating the glow of Remnant's shattered moon in the empty areas. Careful not to make a sound, Ruby crept past the dorm rooms of the other first year teams, JNPR and CAIN among them, and headed toward the shared workshop that students used for weapon maintenance. Pushing through the door, she froze yet again when she heard humming within, a soft tune that fell in line with the scraping a whetstone against metal.

Stepping into the large room, she peered around the corner of the first pillar, finding a familiar face sitting atop a counter. Iris Vex was leaning into a corner, one leg crossed under the other, which was stretched out and dangling over the edge of the workbench. Her tail was wrapped around her waist, and for the first time, Ruby saw it completely still. In the faunus' hands was Siren Melody, the gun-blade that she had wielded against Yang in the arena.

The low lighting glinted off the silvered metal, creating a gorgeous cascade of reflection upon the face that was taking a whetstone to the blade with a loving care. Without breaking her concentration, Iris' lips parted and her light voice sounded out. "Evening, Rose." Stepping out from her concealment, Ruby stammered for a second at being discovered, feeling as if she had intruded on something important, and silently wondering how exactly she had been made. Violet eyes moved to focus on her, narrowed and showing the lines of a smile. "Caught your scent. For a girl with the name 'rose', you certainly smell more like strawberries than I thought."

Letting out a laugh that ended in a dorky snort, she stepped out from behind the pillar and walked over to the where the other sat. Once she was near, she was nearly mesmerized by the complexity of the weapon before her. "Did you build this?"

"Once upon a time, she's my baby." Smiling softly, the faunus lifted the gun-blade, running a hand down the back edge of the weapon. It was a strange design for a melee weapon, its hilt curved to fit its users hand, and housing the trigger for its alternate form. The middle section was much more bulky than the rest, with a series of additional parts bolted around the actual sharpened edge that rose up between them. It followed a slight curve, ending in a sleek flourish at the tip, but that was far from the most interesting thing about it. The center of the blade had been cut out in two sections, leaving it space for air to pass through, which in turn created the whistling noise Ruby had heard during the girl's fight with her sister. "Check it, you'll love this."

Pressing a small latch that was present on the hilt, Iris lifted it from where it lay on her leg. Immediately, the bulky portion in the middle unfolded into a sharply angled 'V'. It still stayed flat to the blade, which was pulled back into the weapon and slid away until the middle closed once again, and the hilt angled away to form a more comfortable grip for the new form. What was left was only two-thirds the size of the melee form, but was a fully functional rifle. "It's interchangeable?"

"You bet your ass it is." Winking at the other, she paused and took a moment to study the girl, noticing for the first time that Ruby's eyes were well and truly silver. "Huh."

Glancing up, Ruby found the violet orbs focused on her. "Huh?"

"Nothing." The faunus girl shook her head and returned the weapon to its melee form. "You just look nothing like your sister."

Scratching at her head and giving a nervous laugh, she nodded. "Yeah, we're only half-sisters, technically." Shrugging her shoulders, the change of topic caused her to grow quieter. "Different moms.."

"Oh. That sounds.." Iris struggled to find a word that would fit, sliding off of the counter and returning Siren Melody to its original form. "Complicated." Without pausing to see what the other girl thought of her choice, she strode toward the exit, backpedaling at the last moment in order to relay what had only just come to her thoughts. "By the way." Ruby's eyes snapped up toward her, eyebrows raised and mouth slightly open in surprise. "Claire hasn't been kicked out. Nyx and Amber saw her out in the courtyard before their last class. Thought you'd want to know."

Nodding, the younger girl tilted her head. "Yeah, Professor Goodwitch told us she was getting another chance. Do you know anything about why she attacked Weiss like that?"

"I do." Ruby blinked in surprise at Iris' direct answer, having heard the dodge that the faunus had given Yang earlier. "But.. I don't think it's my place to tell. It's Claire's past, and it ain't pretty." Frowning, the fox-girl looked away for a second before glancing back. "Look, I've known her for a few years, and I know that if she is given another chance she'll do her best. Weiss doesn't have anything to fear from her."

Recalling what the other girl had said in the infirmary about her relationship with the wolf faunus, Ruby took a step toward her. "I thought you said you two didn't like each other."

"We don't, but we were friends. Still are, I guess." Iris gave a soft chuckle at the incredulous expression upon the younger girl's face, shaking her own head as she tried to find a way to explain. "We both went to Impetus, right? Well Claire and I were together for awhile. It ended on a sour note, and we haven't ever really talked it through."

"Together?" Raising an eyebrow, it took a joking smirk from the faunus for Ruby to understand, feeling her cheeks heat up as she did so. "Oh.. I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up."

"No worries, Ruby." Waving her off with a hand, Iris turned to continue leaving the room, each word tinged with a subdued laugh. "Good night!"

"'Night.." Standing in the middle of the room, she silently cursed her own lack of sense as she had stumbled into a potentially hurtful subject with the other. Thankful that the faunus wasn't one to take offense at her inane rambling, she turned to find the whetstone the other had been using, unaware that she was not alone as she let off a stream of self-deprecation.

"You alright?" The soft voice made her jump and turn with a yell of surprise that echoed throughout the work shop, nearly dropping the sharpening tool she had only just picked up. Behind her stood Blake, watching her in the dim light with golden eyes, and obviously having been awakened by her own departure from the dorm.

Placing a hand across her chest in an effort to calm the heartbeat that was now pounding in her chest, Ruby let out a weak laugh. "Just.. Making friends." Her deflection proved ineffective, however, as the raven-haired girl stepped over to a nearby pillar and leaned against it.

"You've been quiet all day, and now you can't sleep." Blake kept a neutral expression, refusing to be distracted by the amusement surprising her younger teammate had brought, or by the way her concern had just been waved off.

Silver eyes dropped to the ground, and the shorter girl shifted her weight with a sigh. "Did Yang send you?"

"Yang's been loud enough that she didn't notice. Either that, or she was staring at Iris for too long." Moving closer to the counter that Ruby was near, she leaned against it, bumping their shoulders together for a moment in an effort to get the other to open up. "It takes someone who is quiet enough to pay attention to know when you're upset. Is it Weiss?"

"Kinda." Ruby affirmed her suspicions with a nod, leaning back with her and setting Crescent Rose down on the surface. "It's also.." She struggled to voice exactly what the problem was, and she was grateful that Blake was willing to stay quiet and give her time. "I wish I could fight like Claire did."

"Ruby, the Briar girl fights like an animal."

Pushing off from the counter, she shook her head. "She fights like a huntress should. With nothing held back." She let out a quiet sigh, unable to match the intensity of the gaze that emanated from the golden eyes before her. "It just showed me how not ready for this I am. When I fought Amber, I hesitated to attack her, something I would never do when fighting Grimm."

"So what's the problem?" Blake reached out and took hold of one of her teammate's hands, keeping the shorter girl close, wanting the other to know that she was here, that she was listening and could be trusted with whatever was on Ruby's mind.

Eventually, her persistence was rewarded, as her teammate's gaze rose up to regard her carefully. "It just feels wrong to wish I was more like Claire." Self-doubt and worry dominated the expression of the younger girl, feelings that she understood all too well as she found herself frozen in place, staring at tears welling up in silver eyes. "That's not why I came to Beacon.."

"Then.. Don't." Blake moved her free hand to her friend's shoulder, steadying her as she spoke. "You always have a choice in who you are, no one can rob you of that. If you don't want to be that kind of person, make a choice to be someone better."

"How do you know?"

"Because I made that choice once." Unable to bear the sight of the tears spilling over and running down Ruby's cheeks, she gingerly pulled the smaller girl into a gentle embrace, dropping her voice to a mere whisper. "I'm not saying it's easy, but it is possible."

* * *

Weiss was sure that if she were allowed more than a few minutes of uninterrupted sleep, her dreams would have been nightmares, given the state of mind she was in tonight. Fortunately and unfortunately, each time she tried to drift off she shifted positions, sending another jolt of pain through her bruised back. The nurses had said that with her aura returning, she would be able to leave by morning, but the process of getting there was one of agony. Exhaustion had taken over sometime into the night, and she had mercifully been swept away into sleep for a few hours, only to be awakened by another twinge along her spine.

Her eyes snapped open as a whimper escaped from her lips, scraping along a dry throat as she heard a shuffling of feet that told her someone else was present. A voice she did not recognize spoke softly from the darkness as calloused hands moved to prop her head up on the mass of fluffy pillows beneath her, and a cold glass was placed in her hand. "Here. Water."

Bringing the edge of the cup to her lips, she drank the soothing liquid as quickly as she could, remedying the tearing feeling in the back of her mouth and letting the cold seep into her body to drive back the ache of her injuries. When she was finished, there was a spark of a match, and a candle nearby her bed flickered into life, illuminating the small area she occupied within the infirmary. With the darkness banished, she was able to identify the one who had helped her, and the sight of the wolfish features before her struck a chord of fear inside her heart.

A firm hand came down on her shoulder to prevent her from scrambling away, and the hard lines around brown eyes softened considerable. "Stop. You're going to hurt yourself, and it isn't as if you could run if I was here to finish you off." There was a rough concern to the husky voice that calmed her somewhat, and it was hard to disagree with the logic that she would be unable to fight back if the faunus had come for that.

Glaring upward at Claire Briar, she ceased her attempts to scramble away, instead letting herself sink wearily into the soft mattress. Satisfied, the stronger girl leaned back, standing near her bedside. "Why are you here then?" She bit the words at the other, anger replacing fear as quickly as the first emotion had sprung up. "What do you want?"

"I came to apologize." Weiss forced herself to keep the glare in place, even though what flooded through her most in that moment was surprise. Not only at the words, but in the way the wolf-girl seemed to turn from stern and forceful into meek and withdrawn. "I.. Struck you out of rage, because of something that.." A low growl came from the faunus, clearly born of frustration. "Something that you have no control over, and that was wrong."

Despite the sincerity that she could detect in the others voice, Weiss could not help but feel as if she was being read an apology off of a cue card, and made no attempt to hide her own contempt for the situation. "You call that an apology?"

The candlelight caught the red trapped within the brown eyes, and they became a startling reddish color for a moment as the faunus turned to regard her with surprise. "I.. Well, there's.." A frown twisted Claire's dark lips, and an expression of anger crossed her face. "I'm trying."

"You are failing." Stating it like a fact, Weiss used her elbows to lift herself up off the bed, holding the others gaze as she spoke. "Now, tell me you are sorry that I was hurt due to your own stupidity."

Disbelief filled the face before her, and the faunus opened and closed her mouth a few times before recovering with an skeptical expression, as if the girl was afraid she was being led into a trap. Atop the messy hair, wolfish ears twitched. "Are you.. Telling me how to apologize to you?"

"Someone clearly needs to teach you how." Grunting with effort as she moved to sit in an upright position, she pushed away the effort to help her, affixing the girl with a icy stare. "Say it."

"I.."

"Like you mean it."

"I'm sorry!" The words were shouted out of frustration, causing Claire to glance about and reassure herself that they were the only two present in the large room, the nurses having gone to bed long ago. Collecting herself with a deep intake of breath, she began again, but kept a sharp sincerity to her tone. "I'm sorry that you were hurt due to my own damn stupidity. Happy?"

"No."

"No?"

Holding an aloof expression, Weiss let herself lean back into the pillows lightly, stilling sitting up but looking away from the other girl. "I do not accept your apology."

A ragged, predatory growl came from the faunus, and the rough voice sounded with a threatening edge. "Careful, Princess."

Returning her gaze to the girl, she fought the urge to grin triumphantly at the essence of pure frustration and humiliation present upon Claire's face. Instead, she tilted her head upwards, putting her nose into the air in a pose that was sure to annoy. "The apology itself is not important. What matters is what you will do going forward."

Claire understood what was being said, and knew that she was defeated by the game her opponent played. The wolf-girl hung her head and spoke quietly. "What do you want, Schnee?"

"I want a rematch." Weiss savored the surprise in the others expression, allowing herself a small smile. "Not right now, of course. When I have recovered." She had been three steps ahead in this conversation since she had realized what the faunus had come to do, and she saw no reason to waste that advantage. "Several rematches, in fact."

"You want me to train you, then?" For Claire, this entire conversation had become a mess of ups and downs, throwing her between anger and disbelief so quickly that it was beginning to give her whiplash. Nevertheless, as she stared down at the pale girl in the bed beneath her, she held Weiss Schnee in a new light. "I'm.. Not sure that would be wise."

"But you'll do it anyway." A long eyebrow rose, prompting Weiss to explain her statement. "I saw the way you fought. You are brilliant in the way you think tactically, and I refuse to believe that someone as intelligent as you does not realize that you hold a massive gap in you skill."

"Enlighten me." The words were spoken like a growl, but they no longer had a bite behind them. She had the faunus girl hooked on every syllable.

"You do not know how to fight someone who can cast spells. You rely too much on closing the distance, even your pistol is designed for short range combat." She could see the way that Claire was considering it, but even that was a feint. The outcome was already decided before she spoke up again. "I can give you experience you need to fill that gap, and I will learn how to fight against a more.. Unrefined style."

She extended a hand toward the faunus, who looked at it with apprehension before taking it gingerly. Again, Weiss could feel the rough callouses that covered the pad of the other girl's palm, creating a sharp contrast to the gentle way the larger hand took her own. Claire withdrew quickly, seeming uncomfortable with the prolonged contact as she stepped away from the bed. For a moment, the wolf-girl opened her mouth as if to bid her goodnight, but then decided against it and settled for a simple nod before departing.

Weiss was left staring at the back of the torn up jacket that the faunus girl wore, seeing that the rear of the garment was just as worn as the rest of it, with a few gashes torn through the fabric. The new view also afforded her a long look at the other student's emblem. A black vine covered in thorns was coiling around the stem of a drooping white rose, seeming to be choking the life from the wilting flower. The edge of the petals were peeling back and turning gray, an image that was arresting enough that she was left staring at the space the girl had occupied long after she had left.

* * *

Iris pushed open the double doors to the cafeteria with as much caution as she usually showed, nearly walking face first into a group of second year students. Dodging around them, she ignored their grumbles with a wide grin, prancing about until she was clear to continue. Behind her, Amber Pinion entered the room trailed by her constant shadow, her twin brother.

Nyx Pinion was the taller of the two, sporting hair as black as night in contrast to his sister's strawberry blonde. The thick mess was styled in accordance to the obvious cowlick present at his hairline, leading to medium length strands that hung down in front of his forehead There was not much that marked them as twins, as even their eyes were different. For her, it was a bright and fiery red color, while his were a dampened yellow that was flecked with brown. He was wider as well, toned muscles showing clearly on his bare arms.

A sleeveless vest covered his torso, black in color and with a high collar that clung to the back and sides of his neck. The inside of the clothing was coated in pale fur, giving a regal image as well as one of comfort. Over this garment was a breastplate, a scaled replica of the one his sister wore. The iconic Pinion family crest was etched upon its face, a pinwheel of feathers. Instead of extending over his left arm, the armor continued and protected his right. The spaulder of shining metal was where his own personal emblem could be found, two eagle wings unfurled to full height. One was as black as his hair, while the other was gold.

To complete the ensemble, Nyx wore a pair of gray trousers that were decorated with gold feather patterns down their length, and black combat boots that covered up to his ankles. All in all, he made an imposing and impressive figure, rivaling Claire's height and being the broadest of team CAIN. Iris grinned at the two, receiving a calm smile and a strange look from Amber and Nyx, and turned to resume facing the direction she was walking. Her eyes scanned the large room, trying to find a place where they could sit after gathering their lunch, and her search did not last long.

"We'll break his legs!" The shouted phrase from a member of team JNPR did not dissuade her course as she strode toward the table, glancing back and nodding to indicate to her teammates that they were going to sit there. Satisfied with her choice, the twins moved off to collect their lunches while she walked up behind the four girls of RWBY.

"I like her style." Her voice brought the gaze of nearly every occupant at the table, and she responded by smiling sheepishly and turning to look down at the Schnee girl that Claire had injured yesterday. "Good to see you upright. Heard she came and apologized to you?"

Weiss glared upwards at the faunus that was butting into her business, giving a curt nod. "She tried to. I ended up having to walk her through it." There came a grating giggle from the girl behind them, and she turned back to her food, giving a cold shoulder in the hopes she would be left alone. It was only after her rudeness she remembered that she had yet to see the Briar girl in their morning classes, and that caused her to turn back to Iris. "Where is she, anyway?"

"Last I saw, she was reading in her bunk, looking like she hadn't slept." Shrugging, the faunus turned away to converse with Yang, leaving Weiss to mull over the words. Deciding upon a course of action, she stood and headed for the exit, confident that she would miss nothing from the inane chatting her fellow students were engaged in.

Watching her go with a frown, Iris was drawn back into the conversation that Pyrrha Nikos was having with the boy named Jaune. "It isn't that big of deal if he's a jerk to me. He's a jerk to everyone, see?" Holding his tray carefully with one hand, the blond pointed toward a place a few tables away, where Cardin Winchester was pulling the long ear of a faunus girl, while his team sat back and laughed as he confirmed that they were indeed real.

Placing a hand on Yang's shoulder, she leaned forward until her face was only inches away from the brawler's. "Hey beautiful, mind if I take your apple?" With her mouth full, the blonde responded with a vague affirmative, nodding enthusiastically to the greeting. Grinning wide, Iris wasted no time in snatching up the small green fruit from the tray before her, stepping back and eying the boy who was harassing the rabbit-girl.

Yang swallowed the bite of a sandwich she had been chewing, turning around in order to converse with the girl that had taken her apple, only to find the faunus wound back and preparing to throw the fruit. Before she could even think about stopping her, Iris hurled the makeshift weapon across the cafeteria. It smashed into Cardin's face, causing him to release Velvet's ear and cry out, bits of the juicy flesh dripping from his forehead.

Silence descended upon the room immediately, as his dark blue eyes slid over to the fox-girl that was brazenly grinning at him. Shocked as the rest of them, Yang turned her gaze back to Iris, only to find that her friend's violet eyes were glowing. It was then that she understood what the other was doing, and wholeheartedly agreed with the girl's actions. "Come and get me boys, I'm over here!"

The members of team CRDL stumbled over one another in their fit of rage, their desire for revenge at the public humiliation amplified by the semblance that had been used on them. Even as they cleared the table and made it into the aisle, Iris was already in motion, glancing down at Yang with a fire in her eyes. "Sorry, blondie, gotta run. Talk later!" With that, the faunus was off, and laughter erupted throughout the room as all four boys gave wild chase to the girl that had assaulted their leader.

"She's.." Yang had to pause as laughter ripped through her, bending at the waist and slamming her fist down upon the table hard enough that it caused her tray to bounce. "She's going to get herself beaten!" After a long moment of mirth, she noticed that her partner was oddly quiet. Blake was staring off in the direction that Iris had ran, the expression upon her face one that could only be described as guilt. When she noticed that she was being watched, she feigned a smile and turned back to her book, remaining silent and leaving Yang to draw her own conclusions.

* * *

**Author's Note: Please drop a review to let me know what you think, and special thanks to the members of /r/RWBY. Took your suggestions and hope I delivered! - Fox**


	3. Avoidance Strategy

_**Roses &amp; Thorns – **_**Volume 1 – Chapter 3**

**-Avoidance Strategy-**

* * *

In the aftermath of Iris' fruit attack on Cardin Winchester, Yang was left holding her sides in an attempt to calm down. She had laughed so hard for a solid minute that it felt like her gut was trying to tear itself apart every time she breathed, but even that couldn't stop the occasional chuckle as she thought back to the boy's face, dripping with bits of apple and stunned in pure disbelief. By the time she managed to settled down, the only other person who still bore a smile on their face because of the incident was Nora. Even her own sister was staring at her with wide silver eyes. "Are you gonna be okay, Yang?"

Flashing a dazzling grin at the youngest member of RWBY, she gave a vigorous nod. "Of course!" Her statement was unfortunately premature, as the effort of responding so enthusiastically caused her to double over and clutch at her stomach. Oblivious to her moaning, the bubbly orange-haired girl of team JNPR continued on with her dramatic retelling of events that had transpired literally moments ago, even when Ren tried to correct her on certain embellishments.

"You saw it, didn't you?!" Surprised by the suddenly much louder voice, Ruby jerked her head up from comforting her sister to stare at Nora, who was in turn looking directly at a young man who had just sat down. "I mean the apple was all-" Blowing a raspberry with pursed lips and squashing her hands together, the excitable hammer wielder seemed to notice that she was yelling at a stranger a moment later.

"I did see it, though I am not sure I would have advised of it. Not that Iris would listen, she has never been one to stand by while someone insults Faunus." Ruby recognized him as one of the Pinion twins, bearing much of the same features as the chakram wielder she had dueled yesterday, but with some startling differences. Shiny black hair was cut short atop his head, sporting a basic style that complimented the wavy cowlick present in the front. Where her dueling opponent's eyes had been a bright red, his were a dusky yellow color. granting him a surprisingly regal visage. To his credit, he did not falter before the sugar rush that was Nora Valkyrie, extending a steady hand across the table. From where she sat, it looked like he regretted the action, as the offer was taken up immediately and shaken vigorously. "I'm Nyx, Nyx Pinion."

"I'm Nora, and this is Ren." The girl beckoned toward the quiet boy at her side, whose eyes filtered up to regard Nyx before he gave a slight bow in greeting. "Aaand over here is.. Huh, where'd Pyrrha and Jaune go?" Nora was left swinging about wildly to see if the missing teammates were still in the cafeteria, her search coming up empty and bringing a dismissive shrug with it.

Leaning behind her groaning sister, Ruby caught the newcomer's attention as she smile. "I'm Ruby Rose. This is my sister, Yang." Another moan signaled the blonde's greeting, and a gloved hand rose from the table to give a weak wave. "And the one totally ignoring you because she is so engrossed in her book is Blake." Affixing a disapproving stare on the black-haired girl, she took a small amount of joy from the way that using her teammate's name startled her.

"Huh?" Golden eyes snapped up and glanced around, clearly having not been paying attention.

"Blake." Those orbs settled on her, wide with the questioning look upon the other's face. "This is Nyx Pinion. He's on CAIN with Iris and Amber."

"Oh." Whirling back to look at the boy sitting next to her, Blake closed the book that she had been staring at for the past few minutes. "Um, hi." A smile and a nod was her only answer, and the lingering silence was made awkward by the way she stared. It was not that he wasn't particularly interesting to her, but what he had said earlier had left her off-kilter, enough so that she felt the need to retreat and regroup. "Excuse me."

Watching as her teammate moved to leave the cafeteria, Ruby tilted her head to the side ever so slightly. She gently patted the shoulder of her sister, abandoning her tray to take off after the raven-haired girl, curious what had caused the sudden shift from Blake's usually calm attitude to looking upset.

"Huh?" Yang turned to see her third and final teammate departing from lunch with a good half hour left before their next class. She was not allowed a long while to consider their reasons, however, as another sat down in the space between her and Nyx. Bright red eyes snapped over to regard her, matched well with a brilliant smile. It should have been a welcome sight, a smile from a pretty girl, but there was something off about this one.

"Hello." It clicked the moment that Amber spoke to her, each syllable pronounced slowly and in a steady tone, causing Yang to raise an eyebrow in response. It looked as though the girl was looking through her, not at her as a regular person would have.

"Amber, this is Yang. She's on team RWBY." It was Nyx that introduced her, shocking her back into the present where she waved happily to the redhead, who responded with a gentle nod.

"I hope there are no hard feelings for yesterday."

"Heh, I wouldn't worry about it." Yang grinned at the girl and her brother, speaking earnestly. "I mean, it wouldn't make sense for us to be mad at your team because of what one person did, and even her and Weiss are.." Tilting her head, she tapped a finger against her lips thoughtfully. "I think things might be okay between them. At least, Weiss seems to have forgiven her."

"I hope so. Claire carries too much pain with her already." The dreamy way that Amber spoke was a bit unsettling, given that the strange girl was no longer looking in her direction. Blissful calm was replaced by concern on her face, appearing to phase out of the conversation long enough that Yang glanced to Nyx for an explanation. All she received was an apologetic smile and a shrug, as if he could not truly explain his sister's behavior, and she abandoned the attempt to understand the girl, instead moving to switch the conversation to a new topic.

"Okay.. So you guys went to Impetus Academy, too?"

"We did, though I would not say we were friends with Claire and Iris before we came to Beacon." Nyx spoke to her over his sister, who had leaned forward to begin consuming her lunch, the previous conversation all but forgotten for her. "I knew of them, of course. They were the top of the class.. Rivals for most of our schooling. At least, the parts of it that Claire was actually there."

"She was gone often?"

"No, but she started years after most kids do, and was placed into our class year since she was our age. I don't know where she trained before but she has always been skilled as long as I have known her." Mulling over his words with a bite of her sandwich, Yang gave her undivided attention to the boy, indicating that she wanted to know more. "And then she was kicked out a year before graduation. It was a bit of a shock to see her here, after all that had happened."

Swallowing hard, she wondered for a second if they were treading on a topic of conversation that should be had with the actual subject of the gossip, but she pushed down her concerns and asked the question that was burning in her thoughts. "What'd she do?"

"As you may know, Impetus is a bit of an.. 'old money' Academy. It's where heirs to Valean fortunes are sent to train, people like my sister and I." She watched as Nyx bit his lip, struggling with the same issue that she had moments before. After a brief pause, he spoke slowly and carefully, trying not to give away too much of the obviously personal information. "Claire didn't exactly fit in with that crowd to begin with.. She was admitted into the school by an anonymous benefactor. And it isn't like it is here, where Faunus are generally accepted. There are a lot of old attitudes that prevail at Impetus."

"So she was expelled for being a Faunus?" Her food now lay forgotten, and Yang spoke incredulously, disbelief teeming within her at the thought of such discrimination being allowed.

"No! That wasn't the reason at all." Quickly backtracking, Nyx stammered for a moment before continuing. "There was an altercation with one of the other students that ended rather badly, and she was expelled after that."

"Oh." Blinking a few times, she took a moment to comprehend what she had been told. After what the wolf-girl had done to Weiss yesterday, it wasn't hard to believe that there was a pattern of that sort of thing. Even still, a single hit to another student after their aura was broken was a serious matter, and Claire hadn't been expelled from Beacon. Left to her imagination, she couldn't help but think that what had happened at Impetus was much more gruesome than Nyx led on.

* * *

Iris slid around a corner with a mocking laugh, dodging yet another thrown book with such ease that it was borderline insanity that they were still trying. The sound of thundering footsteps followed her, and it was her keen hearing that warned her of a similar sound coming from ahead. She was in the hallway before the atrium, nearly to the point where she could lose them when they finally wised up and boxed her in. Two slender boys came into view in front of her, one with a wild mohawk, and the other with long dark hair. Skidding to a stop, she glanced back, only to find her exit blocked off by Cardin and the fourth member of CRDL.

"Nowhere to go now, mutt." The use of the slur angered her, causing an instinctual reaction of a growl to rise up in her throat. Balling up her fists, she cursed her luck at having left Siren Melody in her dorm room, as she whirled about continually to keep an eye on both ends of the closing hallway. "Listen to the animal, boys. Can't fight her nature."

As they closed within several feet of her, Iris let out a dark chuckle. "You're right, I am an animal." Facing the two who had come from the atrium, she cast a menacing look over her left shoulder at Cardin Winchester. "So, of course, you cornered me." Baring her teeth in a grin, she feinted forward with a punch that made the first two boys flinch before launching herself backwards. The boy next to the leader of CRDL, the one with mousy blond hair, was caught in the face by a heel as she executed a back handspring. Pushing off of the floor, she flipped through the air and landed outside of the trap, clear to run.

But she chose not to, instead facing the bullies with a fire in her eyes. Cardin was not dissuaded by her display of ferocity, launching himself at her and leading with a clumsy punch. Raising her left hand, she took the majority of the force from the blow by slapping her wrist against the side of his fist. The sole of her right shoe struck the ground before kicking forward, having been wound back in preparation. The attack swept up between the boy's legs and connected with his groin, pitching him forward as she backed away.

Not done with him yet, Iris took a step back before jumping into the air and spinning. Her leading foot planted on the ground in the same moment she completed her spin, and her left leg snapped out in another kick, this one aimed for the side of Winchester's head. It flew true, striking with enough force that the large boy was sent into the nearby wall. Righting herself, she saw that the rest of team CRDL had recovered and was advancing.

Her hesitation lasted only a second, as she ran toward the opposite side of the hallway that she had kicked Cardin. Planting a foot upon the surface of the wall, she pushed off and spun, soaring over the desperate grabs and punches of her opponents from below and landing gracefully into a roll on the other side. She dug a heel into the carpet as soon as she came up, her muscles coiling in preparation before she shot forward in a full sprint. Yells of protest and surprise followed as she flew out into the atrium, hardly slowing as she weaved through the milling crowd of students that were heading for the cafeteria. Her tail caught the face of a particularly short boy, slapping him across the cheek with a whip-like motion, and a quick apology was all that she afforded him as she spun to continue on, her keen ears catching the sound of her pursuers as they crashed into the throng.

Passing the staircase that led up to the second level, she ran instead straight for the huge glass windows that covered the side of the building. Breaking free from the rest of the crowd, she pulled on her inner reserves to sustain her top speed until she was a few feet from the wall. Her momentum swung into upward motion as she jumped at the glass, landing with enough weight that she was able to turn and jump towards the staircase before gravity started working against her.

Hooking her fingers over the lip of the edge, she scrambled over the side and onto the middle section of the staircase. Turning and leaning over the side, she let out a shaky laugh that was broken up by her panting. Below her, Cardin joined the rest of his team in looking up, to which she responded with a teasing laugh. "Sorry boys, maybe next time!" As she pushed off of the railing, she turned to continue up the stairs and slip away before class started. Scoffing, she mumbled out her next word under her breath. "Assholes."

* * *

Weiss kept a brisk pace as she moved through the nearly empty halls of Beacon. As it was lunch, most students were either in the cafeteria or out in the courtyard, but not her. The lack of the Briar girl at their morning classes had concerned her, and amid thoughts of wondering if it was to avoid her, she decided it best for her to investigate. She found herself in the dorms before long, skipping the door to her own room and moving to the last one on the left. In bright golden letters it marked those that it belong to: Team CAIN.

The door was already ajar, and easily pushed in as she called out. "Hello?" There was no answer, leading her to continue into the room cautiously, expecting to find a layout more similar to JNPR's dorm that her own. The beds had been stacked on top of each other, forming two bunks that were on opposite ends of the room. Between them was a large bookcase, pushed close enough to the window that it almost blocked out the light from outside entirely, and Weiss could see the way it had sunk into the carpet under the weight of the many volumes it held. Despite her lengthy observation, what truly arrested her gaze was the young woman who was rhythmically pushing off of the ground with a grunt.

But what caused her cheeks to flush red was the fact that the faunus was also shirtless, her modesty covered only by a black sports bra and a brown pair of shorts. Tanned skin was pulled taut over knotted muscles as each push up caused another growl, a low guttural sound that was more associated with the animal that Claire shared a likeness with. Covering her smaller human set of ears was a pair of wireless headphones, the white and black of her emblem showing easily on the brown housing. Weiss could heard the thundering beat that came from them, loud enough to drown out the world so that the other girl could focus on her workout.

It was her examination of the wild mane of red and brown streaked hair that drew her eyes to an oddity she had not noticed at first. Ragged tears criss-crossed the skin of the faunus girl's back, the stark white of the scars clashing with her darker skin tone in a way that made them readily apparent. There were dozens of them, some deeper than the others, and all of them traveling in chaotic directions. Already having intruded on a private moment, Weiss could not help but feel that it had become something more intimate, as if she was seeing something that the other would not allow under normal circumstances. Clearing her throat weakly, she licked her lips in anticipation to speak, only to find that her previous noise caused the wolfish ears atop the other student's head to twitch and alert the girl to her presence.

Claire turned with a noise of surprise, scrambling up from the ground and ignoring the burning within her limbs as she pulled the headphones down about her neck. Clicking off the rock music, she saw the way the smaller girl stared at her, the way that pale blue eyes were slightly widened with shock and curiosity. "What do you want, Schnee?" Practically barking at the other, she was caught between trying to calm her racing pulse from the sudden appearance of another, and the rising anger in her chest at that person being the last one she wanted to see.

"I.. Uh, I was just.." It was a strange sight to see the silver-haired girl speechless, much less embarrassed and blushing. There was a shake of a head that jostled the side ponytail the heiress wore, and when Weiss' eyes opened again, she was once again focused. "Would you please put on a shirt?"

"Now you're above staring?" She was not able to see the way her rib effected the other, having already turned away to find the t-shirt she had discarded before her workout. Snatching the tattered black garment she usually wore from a nearby bedside, Claire tugged it on over her head as quickly as she could, all too eager to be more clothed under the other girl's studious gaze. Without turning back, she set her headphones on a shelf of the bookcase, speaking in a more even tone. "What?"

"Are you.." There was a sudden tone that hung over the entire room, and Claire knew all too well where it originated from, knew what the heiress had seen before announcing herself. The one thing that she hadn't wanted the Schnee girl to see, ever. "Alright?"

"They're scars, not open wounds." She took the time to glance over her shoulder as she moved to her bed, the bottom bunk in the furthest corner from the door. "Why do you even care?"

"Should I not care for the well being of another student?" Weiss hadn't missed a beat, answering with a practiced voice full of confidence. She stepped into the center of the room, watching carefully as the faunus pulled on the knee high combat boots she had been kicked with yesterday, still keenly aware of the fading patches of bruised skin across her chest and back. Despite the violent way she had been introduced to them, she couldn't help but be impressed by the obvious sturdiness of the footwear. Black leather was reinforced with steel plates at the toe and the heel, shining with silver luster. There was a distinct familiarity that the girl displayed with them, easily lacing up the front of the boots in only seconds.

"A Schnee is concerned about a mutt like me?" Leaning forward, Claire let a wrist rest on her right knee, adopting a lopsided and mocking grin over her lips. Her voice kept its same huskiness, but she spoke each word as if it had been dipped in dry sarcasm. "Look at me, moving up in the world."

Scoffing at her, the slender girl before her cocked a hip and affixed her with a sharp gaze. "Don't be rude. The fact you are a Faunus has nothing to do with my opinion of you."

The speed at which Claire stood from the bed caught Weiss off guard, her pulse spiking with a healthy dose of fear as the taller girl took a large stride to stand face to face with her, inches away in the blink of an eye. If the wolf-girl's eyes were interesting when the light caught them, then they were magnificent in such proximity. Rich chocolate color was flecked with a deep sanguine hue, and the intensity of the orbs was only matched by the ferocity of their owner's stare. After a long moment, one that she could have sworn her heart had not beat for, the other finally replied. "It has everything to do with your opinion of me. You don't see me, you see an animal to be pitied for its existence. Something to be fixed, corrected. I know your type."

Never one to be backed into a corner, she stood tall despite the fact the girl easily had more than half a foot on her, and matched the glare with one of her own. "You don't know me." In a misstep that should have been drilled out of her years ago by the stern teachings of her father, Weiss did not stop there, instead letting her expression soften a minute degree. "You don't know what I think of you. I've seen mutts, I've seen animals that need to be put down. That isn't you."

Fury was all that she saw before her, in the wild eyes that lay under thick eyebrows, and in the way the other flexed and released her fists again and again. So close to one another, the musky scent of sweat filled her nostrils as she held to the contest of wills they fought. "You can't fix me." The words surprised her, breaking the concentration that she had clung to. Involuntarily, she took a step back from the taller girl. "Whatever this game is that you are playing, wanting me to train with you? I want no part of it."

Claire watched as pale blue eyes narrowed, showing a mix of curiosity and skepticism. "I'm not playing a game." The tiny heiress before her had not cowered in the face of her blunt honesty and boiling rage, and it was that iron determination that caused her to believe the other's words. "I want to understand you, I want to know why you are so angry with me. You singled me out in that room, you wanted to fight me." It was her turn to be drove back as Weiss stepped forward, glaring up at her. "You wanted to hurt _me_. I want to know why, you're smart enough that there has to be a why, doesn't there?"

The sudden reversal reminded her far too much of the conversation they had held last night, and Claire found herself scoffing and backing away, dismissing it all with a wave of her hand. Silence was all she would give the Schnee girl, no longer certain if she was unable or unwilling to truly explain herself. As she turned around and folded her arms, she heard a noise of exasperation followed by a mumbled word. "Unbelievable." Silence reigned between them for several more seconds before Weiss spoke up again, her voice somehow even more demanding now. "Go get in the shower."

Whirling back to face the heiress, the wolf-girl held an expression that was one caught between utter confusion and sudden indignation. "Excuse me?"

"I will not let you miss classes on account of avoiding me, and so I will make sure you go to History by waiting to go with you." It was disconcerting to Weiss, the way a furrowed brow was replaced so quickly with one raised in mirth. Speaking quickly and silently cursing the amused expression that dawned upon the faunus' face, she turned to point toward the dorm room's bathroom. "And you stink, so take a shower." Deciding that it was settled, Weiss turned back and smiled as sweetly as she could, ignoring the grumble that came from Claire as the taller girl pushed past her.

* * *

"Blake!" Calling out down the long, empty hallway, Ruby jogged in order to catch the raven-haired girl. It seemed that her teammate was otherwise occupied, giving no answer to her call and prompting her to shout out again. "Hey, Blake!"

Turning suddenly with surprise evident in her wide, golden eyes, the other girl stared at her as she slowed to a stop a few feet away. "Ruby." As if she was distracted by something, Blake made a feeble attempt to allay any concern for her by appearing nonchalant. "What's up?"

The shorter girl gave a light shrug, taking a few uneasy steps to bridge the gap between them as she spoke softly. "I dunno, you seemed kind of upset by what Cardin did back there. I was wondering if you wanted to talk about it." A hand rose to brush red highlighted bangs to clear them from covering silver eyes, and a bright smile dawned on Ruby's lips. "I mean, I feel like I kinda owe you at least that for last night. Which I kinda forgot to thank you for, so this is me, saying thanks.."

Listening to the excitable girl ramble on as she did almost put Blake at ease, tugging at the corners of her lips and daring her to grin at the goofy, fumbling and yet sincere way that the other had with approaching the subject. But the cloud of guilt that had descended upon her day did not allow her to, and she only made a soft noise that could have been a chuckle if she hadn't suppressed it. "You don't owe me, so don't worry about it. We're.. Teammates. It's what we do."

Ruby noted the lack of any sort of convincing tone in the other's words, but knew that it stemmed from what was distracting the girl. She kept up a soft grin, hoping to break the shell that had been erected between them. "Well we're friends too, yeah? Friends help each other when they are upset."

"I'm not-" The moment the words left Blake's mouth, she saw the way the other looked at her, an amused smile that told her that any attempt to deflect concern would not be believed. A long moment passed while she stared into the silver eyes, as she weighed her options. On one hand, she was certain that whatever she said to Ruby would remain between them. Unfortunately, on the other, she wasn't quite ready to trust the girl with her most important secret. Giving a heavy sigh, she switched the book she was holding to her other hand and tucked it against her arm, beckoning for the other to follow. "Fine, come on."

Holding back the urge to celebrate her victory, Ruby fell in step with the older girl, following her down the long sloping hallway that led to the academic classrooms. Usually one uncomfortable with silence, she endured the quiet without so much as a whisper of resistance, letting the other open up without any prying being done. As they passed one of the columns that lay between the various lecture halls, Blake stopped and turned around to face her, leaning against the nearby wall. "It's what Iris did, in the cafeteria."

"That's what's bothering you? That she threw an apple at Cardin?" Snorting out a quiet laugh at remembering the event, Ruby shook her head. "I thought you didn't like him."

"Not that she threw it at him, but.. She didn't even think about it." Blake, clutching the book she had been reading to her chest as she folded her arms, locked eyes with the other girl. "She saw Velvet being bullied and did what she thought was right. I guess I feel a little guilty that I just stood by and watched what was happening, that I was more worried about attracting Cardin's attention that helping her."

"Oh. Yeah, I get that." Tilting her head as she watched her teammate, Blake saw how Ruby considered her point of view, and how the shorter girl's expression fell into a small frown. "It must be hard to be a Faunus. Still, there wasn't a lot of time for us to do anything, Iris just kind of.. Attacked. Heh, she doesn't waste a lot of time with anything, does she?" Coughing awkwardly as she saw the way the golden eyes glanced away, Ruby stood a bit straighter and steered the conversation back to a more serious tone, wanting her friend to know that she was taking this to heart. "W-What I mean is, you don't need to feel bad because you didn't react to it. No one else in the room did because they didn't want to get Cardin on their case after he was done with Velvet.." Raising a hand to scratch at the side of her head in a nervous habit, she shuffled her feet upon realization of what she was saying. "Uh, not that that's right, I guess it's just how it is."

"You're right." Blake surprised herself with her answer, a sort of resignation that this was simply the world they lived in. It was that depressing line of thought that eventually brought on a new wave of conviction, and she spoke more confidently than before. "I want to make the world a better place."

The smile returned to silver eyes, and a broad grin was drawn across the smaller girl's face. "That's why we're here, isn't it?" The words mirrored those that had been spoken between them the first night they had met, inside the ballroom with all the other first years, when they had been nothing but strangers. "To make it better. So.. If you feel like you didn't this time, do better next time."

Blinking as she studied her teammate, Blake found herself sharing that warm smile, glad of the other's companionship. "That simple, huh?"

"Yup." Popping her lips with the last sound of the word, Ruby let out an airy laugh. "Well, maybe not. But if Cardin comes after you, I've got your back!"

"Nothing like a tiny ball of fury with a deadly scythe to back down a bully, I guess."

Wrinkling her nose at the sarcasm, Ruby playfully punched the taller girl in the shoulder, an action that caused them both to devolve into fits of giggling as a result of their teasing. After a few moments, they managed to tone it down to the occasional chuckle, grinning like fools at one another. "You know Blake, I think it's really cool that you care so much about the Faunus."

"What do you mean?" Feeling her eyebrows raise in surprise, Blake tilted her head somewhat, too comfortable with the other girl to realize what information Ruby was missing.

"Well, a lot of people think that things like what happened with Velvet don't happen because they don't see it." It dawned on her then, that the younger girl was speaking to her as if she was a human. It was impressive that Ruby noticed the disconnect between what the public wanted to think and what reality was, but the fact that there was that lingering secret soured the conversation for Blake. She felt like a fake in that moment, hiding who she was from someone who most likely wouldn't care. "You want to change it. I wish there were more people like you."

Becoming aware of the ambient conversations around them, Ruby saw that people were beginning to file into the various classrooms. Glancing about before looking back at Blake, she saw the pensive expression on the other's face, and moved to knock the other from her thoughts once again. "C'mon, we've got to get to history." Reaching down, she took the raven-haired girl's hand in her own, and pulled her along.

They did not get far before they ran into the subject of their conversation, finding the rabbit-eared girl standing outside of Professor Oobleck's classroom and talking to one of the other students. "Velvet!" At the sound of Ruby calling her name, the girl glanced in their direction before bidding goodbye to the girl in the beret she was talking to, turning to give them her full attention. "Blake here was just wondering if you were alright."

"I.. Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks though." Brown eyes flicked past Ruby to the girl that she had dragged over, and then to their clasped hands. Letting go on reflex, she saw the way the girl gave them a skeptical look, followed by a ghost of a smile that flickered over the faunus' lips before disappearing under the expression of worry. "Have you guys seen that girl that helped me? I hope she wasn't hurt because of Cardin."

"I wouldn't worry about it." Blake was the one that answered, a light tone of mirth added to her voice as she spoke. "Iris probably charmed him into a kiss after letting him chase her."

Velvet let out a soft laugh, a gentle and welcome sound for the two teammates as they watched the faunus girl's face light up. "Oh, that's evil.."

"Does kinda seem like her style, though." Ruby mused over the mental image for a second before shuddering as Cardin entered her mind, drawing a curious glance from the girl she whose hand she had been holding. Shrugging sheepishly, she was about to open her mouth and explain herself when an alert rang out over the intercom, announcing that lunch was over and classes were beginning again. Donning a bright grin, she gestured toward the classroom door with a flourish. "After you."

* * *

"Don't you own any other clothes?" Claire rolled her eyes as the Schnee girl continued to pester her, only able to take solace in the fact that they were close to the lecture hall as a dainty hand pulled at the ragged tan cloth that covered her left arm. "This jacket is a soft breeze from falling apart completely!"

"It's sentimental." Taking what enjoyment she could in the way her curt answer caused the smaller girl to have a slight conniption, she turned to face the other, walking backwards through the classroom door. Flashing a cocky smile that bared her fangs, she held her hands out wide to let the heiress take the sight in. "And I like the way I look."

"Yeah, 'torn up and homeless' certainly works on you." Pale blue eyes narrowed as the insult was thrown, and Claire took it to heart, literally. Placing both hands across her chest like she was wounded, she continued backing away until she was near her seat, in the back row of the classroom. Weiss scoffed at her behavior and walked past to the second row, where the rest of team RWBY was watching them with varying stages of denial written into their features.

Falling back into her chair, Claire threw her legs up on the desk in front of her and offered a grunt of greeting to her two teammates that were already there. Amber and Nyx glanced at her, with the former waving cheerfully and saying hello in the odd way that she did. Despite the strangeness of one Pinion twin and the uptight attitude of another, she really did enjoy having them on the team. If nothing else, they were damned effective in battle. But more than that, they knew when to question, and when to not. It was certainly better than..

A form slammed into the chair next to her, nearly tipping over before catching itself at the last second. Panting heavily, Iris shot her a dazzling grin as the bell that signaled class had started chimed through the halls. Raising an eyebrow and folding her arms, she was about to ask what was going on with the other faunus when her ears caught the sound of running. Only a few feet behind her teammate came the leader of team CRDL, his dark blue eyes settling upon the fox the moment he entered the room.

She could sympathize with the way he was shaking with rage, until his glare turned to her, and she saw that his mind was wagering his odds against both of them. Breathing out a throaty and threatening growl, she matched the scowl with one of her own. "Mister Winchester, please find your seat and we can begin!" The eccentric teacher's voice snapped him out of their staring contest, and he reluctantly moved to sit with his team, shooting them both venomous looks every couple of seconds.

Swiveling her chair back to regard Iris, Claire frowned at the feigned innocence upon the other's face. "What did you do? Weiss said-"

"'Weiss said'? As in Weiss Schnee?" Deflecting the question with one of her own, Iris grinned devilishly as she scooted her chair closer to the leader of CAIN. "Are the heiress and the angry mutt a thing now?"

As always, her attempts to prod the wolf-girl were met with humor. "Why? Are you jealous, Vex?"

Scooting back to her original position, Iris scoffed. "Not likely, Briar." On the bottom row, she saw the rabbit-eared faunus she had helped in the cafeteria staring up at her. Offering a playful wink, she watched confusion cross the girl's face before the gaze slid away, and she was left alone with only the irritated wolf at her side to occupy her attention. "Besides, I don't think you guys would work. It'd be like a snobby bitch and a purebred bitch combining into something.. Well, horrifying, really."

When she looked over at Claire, she found the other faunus smiling and suppressing a laugh at her joke. The sight of the wolf-girl in a lighter mood than usual allowed her the chance to ask the questions she hadn't been able to last night. "Seriously though, are you guys good? Do I need to worry about walking in and finding you both dead and my bed destroyed? 'Cause I like my bed, Claire. You know it takes me forever to find a good mattress."

Smirking at the other for a moment, Claire took a long time to think out the answer. After a few seconds of silence, she gave a shrug. "I guess we are." Regarding the fox-girl with a raised eyebrow, she continued cautiously, still unsure of where their relationship stood. For years at Impetus, they had been rivals that trailed on one another's heels. Eventually, that connection had blossomed into friendship, and later, something more. But the last scroll message she had received from Iris after being expelled had made it abundantly clear where they had stood then. Now, it was strange to have that friend back as if nothing had happened. "She asked me to train with her."

Violet eyes widened and snapped over to her, and a shaky laugh escaped from pale lips. "Ballsy girl, I'll give Schnee that.. You should."

"I should?"

"Yeah, it'll give you a chance to take your anger out on her for days to come." Swiping the bangs from her eyes, Iris leaned back in the chair and took a moment to look at the Pinion twins, both of whom were engrossed in the lecture and taking detailed notes. "Just remember not to hurt her, because a Huntress and a Hunter vouching for you can only take you so far."

Sighing heavily, Claire folded her arms again and hunkered down for the long class, her eyes drifting down the rows until they found the back of the Schnee girl's head. "I know." Shaking her head to clear it, she focused upon the Professor, who was busy running from one end of the classroom to the other as quickly as she could blink. His rambling way of talking was hard to grasp at first, but when she picked up that he was covering the Faunus Rights War, her ears perked up and she began to take an interest.

* * *

**Author's Note: A more reasonable time to get a chapter up, I think! I'm trying to average 6-7k words each chapter and keep it consistent(which any of my followers will know has always been a struggle), so there will probably be some delay between updates as I format and rewrite sections in order to achieve that. Also, I took the time to break out the old rusty drawing skills and draw up a dossier for Claire. You can find the link to it on my profile, if you're curious to see what her emblems look like. Anywho, leave a review with your thoughts, or the helpful hint that Glynda has green eyes(special thanks to Boarbatusk328 for that one!). I do love to hear from my readers, you guys rock! There will be more action next time, promise! - Fox**


	4. Emotive Masquerade

_**Roses &amp; Thorns – **_**Volume 1 – Chapter 4**

**-Emotive Masquerade-**

* * *

Ruby had never been a good student. A short attention span and a strong sense of adventure had doomed her to boredom whenever she was forced to sit down and listen to a teacher drone on for an hour. At least in History, she got the benefit of watching Professor Oobleck zoom around the classroom as if he was trying to speak to each row of students directly at the same time. It also helped that Velvet always sat on the front row, the faunus' attentive habits generating no small sense of enjoyment for her. Each time the teacher would sprint to the other side of the room, the girl's eyes would follow, and the ears atop her head would flop in a way that made her lips twitch into a dorky smile as she watched.

Fortunately for her, Weiss always kept amazing and meticulous notes detailing everything from what the Professor had said to what students had added to the conversation with their questions. At least, she usually did. This time the young heiress was embroiled in a heated argument with Ruby's sister, both of them whispering sharply to one another whenever Oobleck was on the other side of the classroom from them. "All I'm saying is be careful." It was Yang who was warning the white-haired girl, an odd occurrence that truly caused the other two members of team RWBY to begin listening. "If she flies off the rails again, Goodwitch isn't going to be there to pull her away."

"You would know all about flying off the rails." Snapping the retort at the blonde girl, Weiss turned to face the front of the class, figuring that she might as well look like she was paying attention. She had tired of this argument quickly, refusing to be deterred from the path she had chosen to take in dealing with the Briar girl. Though she would never admit it, she had taken a page out of Ruby's book, engaging and trying to understand a person in an attempt to win them over to her side. So far, it had produced favorable results, yet another thing she could never admit to her partner, for fear of never hearing the end of it. "I know what I'm doing."

A huff came from the direction of Yang, who shook her head angrily at the comment. Lost in the heat of the moment, she rose the volume of her voice a few notches. "You don't even know-"

"Is there a problem, ladies?" The high strung and frantic pace of the Professor's speech caused her to cringe as she realized she had revealed their conversation to the entire room, as everyone turned to glance in their direction.

Sitting up straight, she wracked her mind for an excuse, anything to explain a sudden outburst in the middle of a quiet classroom. Rubbing the back of her head unsteadily, she stammered over a sentence and tried to piece together what she had actually heard the professor say. "Well you see, I was just upset about.. The, uh.."

"She was just upset about how the Faunus were treated leading up to the revolution." Yang found herself rescued by Blake, whose bored expression truly sold the deception, looking as if she had actually just been listening to a quiet tirade about the war. "Specifically the various hate crimes that were committed in the interment camps that were set up for the displaced Faunus population." She couldn't truly be sure of the reason, but there seemed to be a distinct bite behind the bored facade that the black-haired girl wore, and a lingering taste of bitterness.

"Ah, yes! Those actions were despicable, simply despicable!" Taking another sip from his mug, the professor was off again, and Yang mouthed a silent 'thank you' to her partner, earning a slight nod in return. "Many of the attitudes of that time can unfortunately still be found today in Remnant, laws in outlying villages still pop up from time to time to this very day insisting that Faunus be segregated from the human population in public. The kingdoms have been quite adamant about turning away such propositions, however, and no such law has been passed in decades. Now!" The green-haired man took another long drink from the cup in his hand, zooming about to the middle of the room and waving his pointer toward the various non-human students in the class. "Have any of you been subjugated or discriminated against because of your Faunus heritage?"

Ruby, who had been paying only partial attention for most of the time, took the time to perk up and glance about the classroom. A boy to her left was the first to raise his hand, followed quickly by Velvet Scarlatina in the front row. When she turned around, she saw the two Faunus members of team CAIN raise their hands. Iris had her's high into the air, violet eyes narrowed in the angriest expression that she had seen the playful fox-girl ever hold. Those striking purple orbs found her, and though she was flashed a quick smile, the animosity upon the other's face was not diminished for even a moment.

Turning back around quickly, she let out a squeak of surprise when Professor Oobleck suddenly appeared back into her vision, having moved up the aisles between the desks. "Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is exactly this discrimination that breeds only more hate and violence!" In a flash, he was gone, back down in the main center of the lecture hall. "Back on point, who can tell me what is largely regarded as the turning point in the uprising? Yes, Ms. Schnee?"

"The battle at Fort Castle." Weiss answered confidently, her hands folded neatly atop each other on the desk in front of her. "The collective human forces were routed and General Lagune was captured, signaling the end of the push into Faunus territory and the beginning of the end for the war."

"Precisely! Now tell me Ms. Schnee, what is usually cited as the main advantage the Faunus held over the human soldiers during the battle of Fort Castle?"

Caught off guard by the question, she stammered over an answer for a long moment. "Um.. The advantage was.." There came a snorting laugh from her left, causing her to glance over and see Cardin sneering at her.

"Very well, Mr. Winchester, would you happen to know what the answer is?" The Professor turned his gaze upon the leader of CRDL, who remained sitting in his relaxed position as if he couldn't be bothered to give the teacher his full attention.

"All I know is that it's easier to train an animal than it is a soldier." Cardin's racist remark caused Oobleck to shake his head with disappointment, but more than that, an angry growl came from the back row. Turning, the boy glared at the source of the noise, the very girl who had pelted him with an apple during lunch. "Got a problem, mutt?"

Even as Iris made a move to stand and attack, her features twisted into a snarl, Claire held her back with a hand on a slender shoulder. "I have the answer Professor." There came a strange quiet over the classroom at her remark, all eyes sliding toward her as she took on the unfamiliar role of the calm one while her teammate stewed in anger. "It's night vision. Most Faunus have near perfect vision in the dark, and General Lagune had thought to overwhelm the rebels forces during a midnight attack, but his soldiers were quickly outmatched and he himself was captured." Sliding her gaze over the boy that had been insulting her species, she matched his glare with a level expression. "Stupidity and overconfidence have never been traits that make an effective leader, an example one such as yourself could learn from."

Cardin had started to rise from his seat when Oobleck shot him down. "That's quite enough Mr. Winchester. See me after class for additional readings, so that you will be better prepared next time a question arises." Reluctant and defeated, the boy slid back down into his chair, hanging his head as the teacher continued on with the lesson.

Staring up at the wolf-girl from where she sat, Weiss couldn't help but wear a small smile at the way the leader of team CAIN had put down the Winchester boy, using the power of words over that of muscle. In fact, joy almost matched the disappointment she felt with herself at not knowing the answer in the first place, but both emotions did not come close to the curiosity that burned in her thoughts. After seeing Claire go from calm to enraged with a snap of the fingers on a half dozen occasions already, it was strange how she had handled the situation with Cardin, as if the blatant racism had not bothered her. Having sensed her gaze, brown eyes slid over to regard her with a raised eyebrow. Turning back to the front quickly, she could have sworn the air reeked of her embarrassment, having seen the amused grin her former opponent had shot her way.

* * *

Weiss followed behind the rest of her team in silence, so lost in her own thoughts that she almost ran into the girl who stopped shortly after exiting the classroom. Looking up with a rude remark on the tip of her tongue, she bit it back when she saw the reason Yang had stalled. In front of the blonde brawler was the reason that she and her teammate had been arguing during the long class. Even as Claire stood there, idly thumbing at a tear in the right pocket of her shorts, it was hard to imagine that this was the girl being passive. Even without any expression, the Faunus looked like she was a hair trigger from anger.

But her voice was low as she spoke with Yang, the mumbling words accompanied by a shuffling of feet that would have made anyone else look timid. After a long time, the blonde gave a slow nod. As if on cue, the private conversation was shattered by the arrival of a raven-haired fox, who slammed into the side of Weiss' teammate with a wry grin on her face. "Come on, Blondie. Let's give the lovers some time alone." Iris quickly closed one violet eye in a wink in their direction as she pulled a protesting Yang off in another direction.

When she returned her gaze to the remaining member of team CAIN, Weiss had her hands on her hips and a glare in her eyes. "Excuse me?"

"Dammit Vex. She, uh.." Raising a hand, the Faunus in front of her rubbed the back of her wild mane and let out a breathy chuckle. "She thinks I'm only interested in you because I'm.. Uh, interested, in you." The emphasis the girl had put on the second iteration was strained, and even against the tanned tone of Claire's skin, she could see a darkened hue take over.

"That's preposterous!" As odd as it was to see the fierce leader of a rival team blush, the situation was made all the more awkward by the various students that had taken note of their conversation. "I mean, I-I'm-"

"Straight. Yeah, I kind of figured." Claire took a long moment to compose herself before continuing, choosing her words carefully as to not insult the smaller girl. "Not to offend you or anything, Schnee. But you aren't really.. My type, anyway." Giving a quiet cough, she glanced away, locking eyes with one of the many eavesdroppers long enough that the girl gave a quiet squeak and skittered away.

"Oh." There was no disappointment in Weiss' voice. If anything, a touch of relief could be heard in the tone as the heiress tilted her head, causing the side ponytail to fall about a slender shoulder. "So why did you listen to me, why did you agree to train with me?"

Grateful that the silver-haired girl had stepped out of the minefield of a conversation with her, Claire brightened up at the chance to explain. "It's simple. I'm here because others saw something worth putting here." Rolling back her shoulders in a heavy shrug, she could not maintain contact with the piercing blue eyes in front of her, unaccustomed to such personal revelation. "I guess I'm tired of being a failure to their effort, and I want to do it right for once. This is me.. apologizing, I think. To them, to you."

"Hmph." Weiss had folded her arms halfway through the explanation, leaning back on her rear foot and appraising the Faunus with narrowed eyes. She held back the surprise from her expression, finding that none of her suspected motives had been the one driving the other girl. "Well, you're still terrible at apologies." A smirk caught the corner of her classmate's lips, flashing for a brief moment. "But, that's better."

"Glad you approve." Sarcasm was thick on Claire's voice as she spoke, shaking her head with a soft chuckle. "Anyway, its study hall. Free period. We should train." Giving the shorter girl no chance to refuse, she gestured toward the hallway that led away from the main atrium. "The outdoor fields should be empty, unless you have somewhere to be." It seemed that the other did not, falling in step beside her and remaining quiet as they joined the masses of students milling about.

* * *

"So, what'd you say to Claire?" Iris pestered the blonde at her side as they walked into the atrium together, a literal bounce in her step that caused the curls of her hair to mimic the movement. The large hall was full of students that were heading either to the dorms or outside, eager to take advantage of the lull in classes and stretch their legs. Descending the same stairs she had escaped from CRDL on, she tossed a glance toward the quiet blonde at her side, receiving a flash of lilac eyes in return.

"I was letting her know that if she hurts Weiss again, I'm giving her back double." There was a dangerous look that clouded Yang's features before it disappeared, replaced again with a more neutral expression, but that was all that Iris needed to undoubtably believe what the brawler was saying.

"Protective of you. I like it!" The Faunus girl pranced ahead of her, speaking cheerfully as she spun in a small circle. "Though I wouldn't envy you if you ended up on the wrong side of one of Claire's kicks. She loves that move. Just a touch of her semblance to get someone weightless, then pound a boot into their stomach as hard as she can. Never seen someone get back up after that one."

"Hey, Iris?" Black fox ears perked up and the beautiful girl spun in her direction, causing the white half skirt to flutter in the sudden wind. Yang found herself treated to a gorgeous sight outlined by the rays of the afternoon sun beginning its descent toward the horizon, as the other stood in the doorway to the Academy's massive gardens. "You seemed to take what Cardin said back in there kinda personally. Which, I mean, I get. What he said was disgusting, but.."

"But you want to know why I was ready to tear his throat out instead of just throw an apple, yeah?" A vivid image of a hateful expression sprang to mind at the words, one that she had studied for a brief second before turning back to the front of the classroom. Brilliant violet orbs held none of the usual playfulness that Yang had come to expect in the other, and the Faunus' tail drooped as she turned to exit the atrium, stepping into the light in slow, pondering footfalls. "That's a simple story, actually. Not a fun one though. Come on."

They both fell silent as she was led around the decorative pond that sat in the middle of the columned plaza. It was quiet, peaceful, and already starting to drive the hyperactive Yang up a wall when the girl she accompanied finally spoke up. "My birth parents were Faunus like me." Raising a hand to touch at the tuft of fur at the tip of an ear, and then to brush down the length of a fluffy tail, Iris ended with her fingers wrapped around the bright purple hairs at the end of the appendage. "Never able to hide what they were in order to pass as Human. It's something that some of us do, just so we won't be treated differently."

As the girl stopped at the edge of the pond, Yang stepped up beside her, staring into the glittering surface of the water. She focused on the orchids that bobbed gently in the calm liquid, forcing herself to stay quiet and let the other continue. "So they didn't hide who they were, they displayed it openly, dared anyone to call them on it. They were.." Iris paused for a moment, eyes flitting about as she searched for the appropriate word. "Inspiring. They didn't care who saw, they didn't care what others thought. They were free of the hate because they chose to be."

It clicked for Yang then that this was the reason for the outgoing and flirtatious personality that Iris flaunted, it was an attempt to follow in the footsteps of her parents. Despite this realization, it was not lost on her that the Faunus girl had used a past tense when discussing them. A familiar ache settled underneath her heart gnashed its teeth once again, like a cut that would never heal, as her thoughts drifted back to her own dead parent. It took no small effort to gulp down the pain that threatened to lump in her throat as she glanced at the other girl. "..Were?"

A nod came, one that was accompanied by a strained twitching of fox ears. "They were Faunus Rights activists. Attended all the protests, donated to all the causes, helped plan all the rallies. Usually these are peaceful events, but sometimes.." Trailing off to collect her memories, Iris kicked a loose pebble into the water, scuffing the edge of her shoes sole against the stone as she thought back. "A mob gathered, and attacked the protestors. A lot of Faunus were hurt, but people didn't stop when they backed some of those who had attended into a corner. They were killed in the confusion, by some old guy who had lost his father in the war and decided to get what little payback he could."

There came a strangling noise that sounded like a sob being choked back, but when Yang turned to comfort the Faunus girl, there was no trace of tears or sadness on Iris' face, only anger. Clenched fists were balled up so tight that the knuckles had turned white as the entirety of the fox-girl's frame shuddered, strongly effected by the memory. After a long moment, slender fingers left their position, and the smaller frame beside her stilled. "The story hit the news, and my parents were plastered on channels across Vale. It led to some reforms being passed, an effort to calm the Faunus population after the attack, but it wasn't enough."

Shrugging, Iris tilted her head and leveled her gaze on the enormous stone fountain that sat in the middle of the pond, continually recycling the water without end. "Anyway, the Vex family. Big Dust importers and partners of the Schnee Dust Company, caught wind that I was orphaned. They saw a chance to gain some positive PR and took it. I was adopted and raised from lowly Faunus to example that we aren't all animals, that we can be taught the social niceties." Glancing over at the blonde that was listening to her story, she formed a small smile. "I must sound ungrateful, but the truth is that a cushy life can't feel the void left by the loss of family."

"No, I.." A large hand was placed on her shoulder, a gentle touch that let her know Yang was there. "I understand."

Stowing away the question that was suddenly in her mind, Iris let her fingers glide against the comforting touch for a moment before sliding away. "So that's why Cardin gets to me. In the end, even with my parent's deaths, nothing really changed for the people in power. They got an uplifting story about how wealthy industrialists saved a poor orphan girl, and the Faunus who had been attacked were forgotten in a matter of weeks." Turning to face the blonde girl, she injected a hard tone into her voice. "Cardin just reminded me that there comes a point where you have to stop asking to be treated equally. You just have to fight for it.. And even then, sometimes you lose."

Yang gave no immediate answer, instead soaking up all that she had been told. It spoke volumes of the Faunus' trust in her that the girl would share this story, despite her own heritage. Instead of repaying it in kind with cheap words, she reached out and drew the other into a firm embrace, holding the slender frame of the fox-girl close as she shared in the old familiar feeling of grief.

* * *

Steel rang against steel, driving Weiss back several steps as the force of the blow sent vibrations through the blade of Myrtenaster and into her arms, causing the already sore muscles to seize and ache even harder. "Come on, Schnee! Dodge it, don't just take it!" The words made her growl in anger, glaring at the larger girl who was sparring with her. They had been at it for a good half hour, and the ability to dodge the wide sweeping arcs of the blasted saber assaulting her was becoming more and more difficult.

Blades clashed together once again, and her stronger opponent used nothing but brute force to shove into the lock. It succeeded in unbalancing Weiss, and she stumbled back. The heel of her boot caught on the loose dirt of the practice field, and the world rushed up to meet her as she fell back on her rear. When she had sufficiently recovered to regain awareness of her surroundings, she found the edge of Staccato Scar pointed directly at her throat, and a furious expression awaiting her on the other end of the weapon. "I told you to move, not engage me!"

Slapping aside the length of steel with her own weapon, she glared daggers up at the Faunus who had agreed to train with her. "You can't expect me to dodge after forcing me up and down this entire field several times over!"

"Yes, I can." Brown eyes narrowed down at her, and Claire backed away, sheathing the Dust saber through the loose belt that she wore over her hips. "If this was a real battle, you would have been dead the moment you hit the ground, even with your Aura up!" Barking the statement over her shoulder, she strode to collect the jacket she had discarded before they had begun. Lifting it from the long grass, she gingerly ran a hand over the emblazoned symbol on the back of the garment before turning it and shoving her arms through their respective holes.

Behind her, the Schnee girl was still complaining, spouting off something about her not knowing when to ease up and let the heiress recover. Rounding on the smaller girl, Claire stretched out her arms, letting the pale blue eyes regard her in her entirety. "Look! I've barely broken a sweat, and you are utterly soaked. It's called endurance training, Schnee, not play time!" Yelling at the other student, she knew that part of it was the heat of the battle wearing on their already frayed nerves, but a large part of her knew that coddling the girl would lead nowhere. She had agreed to train with her, and she would not be held back by a lesser stamina.

"It's barbaric! You have no form, no coherent style!" Weiss stalked towards the wolf-girl, stamping her boots into the dirt with each step. Red faced and clenching her free hand, she glared up into the equally as menacing scowl. "Fighting against you is like fighting an.." The color drained from her face as she bit back the last word she had been about to utter, noticing the way the lines beside the dark brown orbs tightened in response. She had tried not to include her opponent in the thoughts she generally had on Faunus, but in the heat of the moment it had slithered to the surface, bringing with it a generous helping of guilt.

"A what? Say it!" Leaning in, Claire waited to speak until their faces were only inches away from each other. Instead of yelling as she had before, she dropped her husky voice down to a dangerous whisper. "Say it, Schnee." There came no response, the heiress only silently glaring back at her for a long moment. With a low growl, she shoved past the smaller girl, heading for the entrance back to the school.

Turning with the shoulder that slammed into her own, Weiss yelled after the girl she had been fighting, calling out with a minute amount of the confrontation gone from her voice. "Where are you going?"

"None of your business, your highness!"

The words, yelled back at her before a door was slammed, caused the bubbling anger within her to rear its head again. With a cry of frustration, she shoved Myrtenaster into her belt, stomping towards the door and throwing her empty hands into the air. "Ugh! You really are an uncivilized animal!"

* * *

Ruby was sitting cross-legged in the middle of her dorm, Crescent Rose separated into sections and the scythe's beautiful innards opened for all to see, if she hadn't closed the door first. Taking an oiled rag, she continued to remove the inner workings of her weapon and clean them. Building the exquisite item had been a difficult task, with many hours of trial and error that led to a hundred different tiny injuries, from bruised limbs to cuts from mishandling the long blade. Training to use the dangerous instrument had been even harder, taking years of singular focus and direction from her uncle Qrow to truly establish a firm grasp on the style she would implement in battle.

But maintenance? Maintenance was a breeze. It was key to keeping her sweetheart in tip top shape, and ensuring that she would never be let down when it mattered most. This was when Ruby Rose was at her calmest, when she was allowed to drown out the world around her and focus on nothing but the weapon. This, she understood. People made no sense, a chaotic mess of interactions and expectations that changed from hour to hour, minute to minute. People changed. People left. Weapons made sense. They had a firm beginning, a firm end, they had gears that moved in set patterns, and needed attention like clockwork. She didn't have to guess.

Lost in her own world as she was, she did not notice that she was no longer alone until a pair of black heels stopped at the edge of her whirlwind of a workspace. Her gaze shot up and connected with a pair of amber orbs held in a bemused expression. "Blake! Sorry, I thought you would be in the library, and I don't like using the communal workstation-"

"Ruby."

"-cause Rose has a lot of parts that could be easily lost-"

"Ruby."

"-or stolen, with how some of the other students have been looking at her-"

"Ruby!" Shaken from her flurry of apologizing and explaining herself, she found that Blake was now incredibly close. The older girl's hands were gripping her shoulders, and an exasperated look dominated the angles of the beautiful features. Ruby found herself utterly mesmerized, staring upwards like a fool as the brunette spoke softly. "You're fine. I just wanted to read or draw anyway, so I'll stay out of your way."

Only managing to free herself from the spell after her teammate had stepped around her and toward the more stable of the bunk beds, Ruby let out a long breath as her lungs remembered that breathing was a necessity. "O-okay." She watched as Blake settled down in the very corner of the sprawling bed, opening the notebook that had been laying atop the sheets, off into a different world in the blink of an eye.

Turning back to her disassembled weapon, she slowly eased back into the same position she had been in before, wondering how she had been able to bear such an awkward crossing of her legs for so long without noticing. Recovering the rag she was using to clean, Ruby set back to work, trying to put the other girl out of her mind as much as was possible. Focusing on the task at hand, it suddenly felt oddly exposed and personal, as if every move was now being weighed and judged against her by the girl behind her. It felt as if she was now being watched like a hawk.

Blake was watching her, or rather, peeking at her over the lip of her leather-bound journal. She wasn't staring for pleasure's sake though, she was attempting to capture the image that she had stumbled into earlier. Ruby Rose, the eternal optimist, had always worn a smile either in silver eyes or on pale lips for all the time that she had known the younger girl. But not when she had walked into the dorm. There had been nothing but intense concentration and something more akin to anger than frustration before she had been noticed. Then it was gone, replaced with a practiced smile so fake that it shattered the illusion of the many that had come before it. Her mind had raced through a dozen interactions, placing the pieces together and noting the differences between the moments that had been real, and those that had not.

She knew little of the past life for her teammates, aside from Weiss. Heir to the Schnee Company throne and an accomplished songstress in Atlas, there was not much about the silver-haired girl's life that couldn't be learned from a quick search on her scroll. But there was precious little knowledge of the two others outside of the fact that Yang and Ruby were sisters and that their uncle had trained the scythe-wielding prodigy for years. She hadn't wanted to know more, and expected no questions of her own past in return. But now there was something directing the pen in her hand, committing the memory of Ruby's expression to paper before it could disappear forever.

A mask had slipped and a question had surfaced. Curiosity pulled at her, demanded to know why the seemingly perpetually happy girl was more than likely faking most of it. She wanted to identify what drove the girl to don a mask in the first place, and she wanted to obliterate it. Blinking, she pulled back from the journal she was sketching in, raising an eyebrow in response to her own protective instincts that had flared up. Simply thinking about Ruby being hurt was enough to ramp her up, faster than most things could ever hope to, tied only with the subject of her race and her own past. It confused her, to feel such a familiar fury in the face of a mere thought. She had felt this indignation before, many times, but only when looking upon actions that collided with her own morality.

Glancing over with the intention to further study the smaller girl, Blake found herself gazing across the short distance into two pools of unreadable argent color. Their attention was fully captured, having caught themselves staring at one another and now trapped in the uncomfortable moment. A heavy, awkward silence descended upon the room as seconds passed. Silently screaming at herself to stop leering like a moron, she took a moment to collect her scrambled thoughts and speak up. "Are you okay, Ruby?

Instantly, the strange expression on the girl's face was replaced with a bright, cheeky smile. It was a gorgeous smile from a beautiful girl, but it was also fake. Blake knew now. The tell was in her teammate's eyes, where the attempt at portraying happiness never seemed to reach. "Of course!" A tilt of a head brought the longer side of highlighted bangs past the shorter girl's shoulder. "I was just wondering what you were drawing.. Your pen was moving really fast, and you looked really into it. Heh, you looked pretty cute, all concentrated and everything. I mean I didn't even know you could draw!"

Her mouth opening into an 'o' shape as a hand flew to cover it, Ruby mentally groaned and prayed that the other didn't see the heat that she suddenly felt on her cheeks. If her teammate had noticed, the raven-haired girl didn't give anything away, turning to regard the page with an equally embarrassed smile. "Oh, I wasn't sketching anything substantial. Just a few things I've seen today, nothing important." Judging by the way Blake was suddenly hugging the notebook close, she had no doubt that at least some of what was said wasn't true, but pressed no further. Instead, she gave an interested noise and turned back to the pieces of Crescent Rose that were slowly coming back together as the minutes stumbled on by.

Connecting the bladed edge of the scythe to the main barrel of the weapon, she kept her eyes locked to the floor as much as possible, running back over her words in her mind again and again. It wasn't like she hadn't called other girls 'cute' before, but it was the way she had said it, and the way she had accompanied it with that giggle. The blush on her cheeks only grew as she stood, certain that the angled golden eyes were fixated upon her at the sudden movement. Letting a thumb press in the button on the side of the metal shaft, she moved with the motions as Crescent Rose folded into a more compact form, leaving itself in a much more manageable shape. "Perfect."

She deployed it a moment after, letting it expand into it's full form, the action bringing an instinctual grin to her lips as she turned. With one hand holding Crescent Rose across the back of her left shoulder, and the other upon her hip, she cocked her head to the side as Blake looked up to regard her. "Come on, you have to admit that you love my sweetheart as much as I do."

"It is a particularly beautiful weapon." Blake brightened at the genuine emotion that took over her teammate's face this time, glancing up with a broad smile of her own. She closed the half-finished sketch her journal, setting down the pen in favor of raising her scroll. "Now hold still, I need a picture of you being cocky." Looking past the device in her hands, she winked at the younger girl. "So when people ask if you and Yang are really sisters there will be some comparison."

Complying with her wishes, Ruby's grin turned into much more sheepish expression as Blake set aside her scroll, the picture taken. "Half-sisters, really." Blinking at the surprise confession, she remained quiet, letting the brunette continue. "I mean it's obvious, isn't it? She's Yang Xiao Long. If something gets in her way, she just punches it. If it doesn't move, she punches it even harder. And I'm.. Well, I'm just me. 'The rose girl'."

Setting down the notebook she had been drawing in, Blake slid toward the edge of the bed. Many times she had seen the self-deprecating side of Ruby, the side that didn't give herself enough credit, the side that had somehow decided she wasn't good enough. It was nonsense, but it was a nagging insecurity that plagued her younger teammate. "Well, you are a dorky mess of a teenager, that's for sure. But.." She drew out the last syllable, enjoying the way silver eyes lit up far too much as she stood and walked over to the other girl. "I'm pretty sure you're more than just 'the rose girl'. Hell, I'm pretty sure that Yang is in _your _shadow now. After all, you are the youngest student at Beacon since.. Ever?" Chuckling softly, she reached up and tucked a long lock of Ruby's bangs behind a small ear, marveling at the way the black hair transitioned into a brilliant red color. "What I mean is.. Don't sell yourself short. You're probably one of the best trainee Huntresses in the world, and you're a great friend. At the very least, I like you."

"You like me?" There was a sense of wonder in the tone of the smaller girl's voice, as they stared at one another. It took Blake a long moment to realize how comfortable and forward she had been, a tangle of thoughts pointing out that she had been touching a warm, blushing cheek for far too long to still be considered simply a friendly gesture. First came the guilt, from the fact that this girl did not truly know who she was, and that this girl was her partner's little sister. Next came the fear, its whispers for her to run from this moment of intimacy becoming far too powerful of an urge to ignore.

Unaware of the battle raging only a step away, Ruby hadn't pulled away from the soft contact. If anything, she found herself leaning into it, a mess of confusion and emotion swelling inside her as she stared up into the bright eyes. Suddenly, the taller girl pulled away, as quickly as if her hand had been burned. There came a stammering of a mumbled apology, with Blake butchering words as she struggled to slip past toward the door. "I.. There's.. Probably go."

"Wait, Blake-" With one hand outstretched toward her retreating teammate, and the other holding up Crescent Rose, Ruby found herself alarmingly alone directly following a moment she had felt nothing but companionship and shared fondness with another. It felt empty, and the hasty withdrawal from the other girl had hurt, leaving a pounding ache in the center of her chest. She was left with a thousand racing thoughts, the most prominent of them being a single, painful question that was voiced with a soft whine. "What did I do wrong?"

* * *

**Author's Note: Bit of Black Rose enters the fray! Check out my profile for a link to the album containing Claire and Iris' emblems! It's what I've been working on the last couple days along with this, and I'm really happy with how they turned out! Sorry this chapter was a bit late, but with how much I work, not a lot of free time is left over.. Anyway, much love to my readers and the RWBY subreddit! Please feel free to drop a review, I'd love to know what you think of the story so far. - Fox**


	5. Stormy Eyes

_**Roses &amp; Thorns **_**– Volume 1 – Chapter 5**

**-Stormy Eyes-**

* * *

Straightening her jacket by pulling on the sides of it, Claire tried to make herself at least appear to have prepared for the class with Professor Ozpin. Training with Weiss had gone on longer than she had thought it would, the heiress showing more determination than she would have given her credit for. A small bell dinged to signal the elevator opening, she strode through the empty entrance room to the door that led to the Headmaster's office. It was then that she felt the large stains of sweat that were causing her undershirt to cling to skin, the remnants of her exertion under the sun only minutes ago.

Standing just a few inches from the door and staring down at the darker patch of her gray t-shirt, she was sorely unprepared for the portal sliding open and revealing the Professor waiting for her, taking a sip from the mug that never seemed to stray from his hand. "Ms. Briar. You're late." With no further discussion, he turned away from her and walked into his office.

"Yeah, I, uh.. I'm sorry, I was-" Instinctively flinching as her fingers curled into their respective palms, Claire found herself standing in the doorway as she tried to find a reasonable way to explain where she had been. Fighting the same girl that had been involved in the incident leading to her taking this class in the first place was not a great way to start the sessions she would be attending with the Headmaster.

"Training with Ms. Schnee. I know." The man's calm and reserved way of speaking managed to pull her from the pit of awkward explaining, bringing her eyes back to him as he took a seat in the chair across the desk from her. "Please, come and take a seat. And do not worry about not changing before you came. I am a Huntsman, after all. One does get used to it, and it is more important that you are here at all."

Leveling his spectacles at her, Claire took the first uneasy step into the impressive office. She had failed to study it her first time here, having been more concerned with studying the floor under a massive curtain of regret. This time, however, she was free to glance up as she continued into the room, turning on the balls of her feet in order to absorb the scene above her. Enormous gears turned in harmony, resembling the recurring theme of the Professor; Clocks. She marveled at the way each cog locked with one another for a short time before separating again, with some of the smaller wheels moving along the outside edge of the entire ensemble.

The ceiling itself was glass, presenting a solid yet transparent screen against the amount of noise that must have been generated from the grinding gears. "Are you a fan of engineering?" Ozpin's voice brought her back to reality, drawing her attention away from the study. "Or just curious how it works?"

With a slight smile on her lips, Claire gave a last glance upwards before answering. "I know how it works. Or.. I guess, I know that it makes sense." A noncommittal shrug bounced along her shoulders for a moment as she finished her examination and strode toward the offered seat on the opposite side of the desk. "The subject interested me, but I never really had the patience to study it. Maybe in another life." Her small attempt at humor was met with a narrowing of eyes that caused her to scratch the back of her ears awkwardly, sliding into the chair in silence.

"Your transcripts from Impetus beg to differ." She donned a rather unamused expression and raised an eyebrow, causing the man before her to run a hand through his gray hair with a wry smile. "Oh yes, I reached out to your old school after our last talk, I even spoke to some of your teachers. Despite some choice words about you, all of them commented that you were a diligent student, although possessing an unorthodox way of completing assignments."

Scoffing, she ran an uneasy hand over the surface of her left gauntlet, averting her eyes from the unblinking gaze for a few moments. Inevitably, she felt herself compelled to ask the question staining the air around them. "What else?"

"I was forwarded the video of your incident with the Mantis boy, and though what I saw corroborated what you told me.." Ozpin took a long moment to think over his words, watching the young girl across the desk from him fidget in her seat. Wolfish ears twitched every couple of seconds, and dark brown eyes stared at everything but him. As hard as it was to image this teenager being the same as the one he had witnessed in the recording from Impetus, he knew that below a veneer of control the Faunus held an immeasurable amount of rage. "Did you know that you paralyzed him?"

A flash of an glance was all he received before the girl's gaze returned to the floor. "I.. I had heard."

That caught his attention. To the best of his knowledge, Claire had been out of contact with anyone from Impetus since her expulsion. "How?"

This time, her eyes met his with a fury behind them, the previous meekness burned away in an instant. It was fascinating to see guilt replaced so quickly with anger, and he knew he had just touched upon the surface of the boiling pool within the girl. "A few of his friends found me, down in the slums." A fist slammed into the wood of the table, and teeth bared to create a furious visage. When she spoke next, each word was layered with an excess of emphasis in the husky tone, indicating that she would not be elaborating. "And made _sure_ that I knew."

"Stop." The command was so simple, uttered so confidently in a supremely calm tone, that it jarred Claire from the beginning stages of a rising anger. "Look at what you are doing." Her eyes flicked down to the closed fist she had bashed into the table, and it was only now that she felt the ache seeping into the bones that had taken the brunt of the impact. Flexing her fingers in an effort to calm the pain, she rubbed along the knuckles with her other hand and looked back to the Professor, her mouth already opening. "Don't apologize. If anything, it is I who should say sorry. I goaded you into that, to know what it took to bring out that side of you, and to talk you down."

Feeling a bit like a source of amusement for the older Huntsman, she slid back down into her seat, thumb and forefinger still rubbing away at her hand. Surprise faded into a glare that she centered on the man, whose own fingers were busy adjusting the glasses upon the bridge of a thin nose. "So you already knew?"

"I was told much about you when I was contacted by our mutual friend, but no.. I suspected, however, that your time after Impetus was one of great hardship." Both of Ozpin's hands came together as he leaned forward over the table, holding the scowl from the girl with a neutral expression of his own. "I believe I can help you, Claire. But you need to be willing to work through the issues of your past." As her lips began to part, he held up a hand to indicate he was not finished. "I do not wish to undermine the progress you have made so far, in fact, I should commend you. You have already taken the first steps, I merely wish to guide you and ensure that this endeavor does not end poorly."

"By no means do I seek to make light of what has happened before your time at my school. I know little of it, but I can see the pain you carry within you." The Professor collected his cane from where it leaned against the table and rose to his feet, leaning upon the instrument as he moved toward the window. He did not look back as the girl followed his movements, finding her standing by his side as he gazed out down into Vale. "But more than that, I see a brilliant student, and a Huntress who will excel if she takes the correct path. Otherwise, I would not have allowed you into my school."

Turning to face the young Faunus, he placed his free hand upon her shoulder softly, carefully noting the way the muscles beneath the tan jacket tensed at the contact. "And I promise you, all that is said up here will remain between us. You will face no judgment for past actions, nor will any of your secrets be divulged from me."

Glancing at the hand upon her arm, Claire dared not raise her eyes to meet the man's gaze, instead turning to stare out over the expanse of the kingdom below them. From Beacon, she felt as if she could see everything. The sea was out to the West, shimmering in the afternoon sun. She could make out the massive freighters that were unloading cargo onto the docks, and from here, the divides between the districts of Vale were much more apparent. The residential area, the commercial strips, even the slums were easily identified.

In that moment, fear was the emotion that rushed through her veins. The red haze of anger had become so commonplace that to be rid of it was an insurmountable obstacle in her mind, but beneath that chill that came with being afraid, was a small piece of hope. A part of her that dared to believe that she could live a life free from the bounds that tied her to the pain of the past. As she turned to face the man next to her, she dug fingernails into the palm of each hand, and her gaze rose up to match the Professor's. "Where are we even supposed to start?"

A smile ghosted across Ozpin's lips as he turned back around and guided the young girl back toward his desk. "I suppose we shall start from the beginning. Come, sit." Releasing Claire, their paths diverged as she continued around the furniture, and they resumed their original positions in the chairs. "Tell me, where were you born?"

* * *

Ruby lowered herself into a sitting position on bottom bed of the bunk that Blake and Yang shared, her heart still aching from the apparent rejection of her teammate's affections. Each beat of the organ provided another dull tear through her chest, one that she was unfortunately familiar with. Removing the support from her arms, she let herself fall back into the bed with a groan, her thoughts running over the interactions with the other girl in an effort to find what she had done wrong.

The back of her head impacted the edge of a notebook, bringing a squeak of pain as she turned to see what had caused the collision. Picking up the offending tome, she studied the cover with curious gaze. Blake had etched each of Team RWBY's emblems into the tough material of the front, and the sight of it brought a small smile to Ruby's lips as she studied them. Turning the book over, what awaited her was a half-finished sketch of herself.

But it looked so foreign, the expression on her face. It could be called concentration, but it seemed more like anger. There was a distinct lack of a smile on both lips or in eyes, and the downward tilt of a head told her that it was the moment that Blake had entered the room, before she had noticed her teammate's presence. Ruby knew that much of the exuberant happiness she portrayed was faked, but to see that the other girl had noticed, and had cared enough to immediately draw it? The thought almost made her grin, even tainted as it was by what had followed. "Ruby?"

The soft, monotone voice drew her away from the notebook, as she tossed it to the side in surprise. "I wasn't- I, um.." Clearing her throat, she regarding the shorter girl standing before her with a manufactured smile. "Amber. Hi, do you need something?"

"I was studying in my room when I felt.." Crimson colored eyes scanned the room in the unnerving manner that the Pinion girl had, as if what she saw was not based in reality. There was a long paused of this, before those pools of liquid fire found Ruby again, and the calm voice came again. "You are in pain?"

"I'm okay." There was no skeptical look thrown her way, despite the poor lie that had just escaped her lips. No expression of disbelief was necessary, because she could feel that the other girl knew the truth despite what was told. "You said.. You 'felt' that I was in pain?"

"My semblance has many uses." Meandering into the room, the redhead did not hold her gaze, instead studying the surroundings as she spoke. "But it is a byproduct that has effected my life the most. I feel what others feel.. Most times it is a negative emotion." Turning to center a gaze upon her once again the short girl cocked her head to the side. "You do a poor job at hiding your emotions. I can feel them in your aura.. It is very distracting."

"I'm.. Sorry?" It was a strange thing to apologize for, not being proficient enough to hide her emotions in a way that she didn't even know they could be seen. She had never even heard of such an ability, much less thought that it could exist. "Wait, you feel everything, from everybody?" A nod answered her query, and it suddenly became quite clear why the girl had always seemed off in some way. Amber's reality was much different from the one she herself knew, enough so that it was impossible to imagine what such a viewpoint might be, except that it would be horrible. "Oh wow, I am sorry."

A shrug came from the unfortunate girl, who donned a cheerful smile. "It's hard to feel bad about being different when it's all you know. I like to think our lives are what we make of them.." Moving closer, the redhead stepped carefully across the notebook that had fallen when she had startled Ruby, her voice never losing that calm and dreamy tone. "In my case, I can help people. So I do."

Mulling over the words, she watched the red eyes finally find her for a fleeting moment, before they began to look straight through her once again. "That's a good attitude to have, I think. But you don't need to worry about me, Amber, it's just.. Uh, Team stuff." Giving a brilliant smile, she tried to put her worries behind her. "I'm sure it'll work out."

A soft touch against her shoulder was all that the strange girl offered in goodbye, as Amber turned to leave the room. Once she was gone, Ruby bent to collect the book in which she had found the sketch of herself, closing it gently and setting it aside on the bed. Biting at the edge of her lip, she decided that the visit from the member of the other Team had been a good thing. At the very least, she felt a little better. Tapping a finger against the folded form of Crescent Rose at her belt, she headed for the door, knowing that there was not much else to do in the short time before the next class.

* * *

Blake didn't slow as she fled from the dorm room, her breath coming in ragged, panicked gasps. Each new intake of air mirrored the tearing sensation originating from her heart, as her mind tortured her by replaying the scene with Ruby without end. It was apparently still the study period, given that the nearly empty halls allowed her to move without fear of running someone down. Nevertheless, when she rounded the corner that would lead to the library, she had little warning before slamming into a flash of golden hair and hard muscle.

Crying out in surprise, she would have gone down in a heap if it wasn't for the strong arms that kept her upright. Pain flared through her chest, and she thought for a second she had impacted a wall instead of a person. "Whoa Blakey! Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Dread replaced confusion as she regained her footing and stared directly into eyes the color of lilacs. As her partner spun her around and draped an arm about her shoulders with a laugh, Blake couldn't help but wonder if she had personally wronged the universe in some way for this. "Class is in this direction!"

Now firmly trapped against the brawler, she was thankful that Yang could not see the warm blush that had taken over her cheeks. "I was- There's-" Tossing a glance back the way that she had originally been heading, she then looked at her partner. "Where are you coming from?"

"Me? I was walking around the gardens with Iris earlier!" Yang injected an insincere amount of joy into her voice as she spoke, not quite willing to reveal just how down the previous conversation had gotten her. She knew that life for a Faunus was more difficult than it was for her, but she hadn't known that it was that bad. Losing some of that cheerfulness, she continued speaking to fill the silence. "Poor girl. Anyway, what's new with you?"

"Me? Well, I.. I-" Blake struggled to articulate even a single thought, with the only words coming to mind being a babbling incoherence of admitting that she had just been flirting with her partner's little sister, and had left the girl stewing in a mess of a confusion. It hit her then that no matter what embarrassment or shame she felt for her retreat from the room, Ruby must have been absolutely crushed by her departure, not knowing the why or perhaps misinterpreting why she had done it. The realization made her stop, with the brawler's arm slipping from her shoulders and bringing the brawler back around to face her. "Yang, I.. Please don't be mad?"

A single eyebrow raised in confusion, and the blonde standing before her gave a huge shrug. "Why would I be mad? Wait! You didn't accidentally destroy something of Weiss', did you?" Yang's face contorted into a mischievous smirk, and her eyes darted about conspiratorially. "If you did, I can help you hide it!"

"No, it's not that.." Sighing, she tried to shake off the nervousness that was threatening to overwhelm her, but it still clung to every fiber of her being as she struggled to meet the gaze that came from purple eyes. It occurred to her that there were better places to admit this than in the middle of the school atrium, but she resolved to simply get it over with. "I was in the dorm room with Ruby, and we were talking and.." Slowing herself in order to prevent a rambling explanation that would further complicate things, Blake was interrupted by the arrival of another of their teammates.

"Claire is unreasonable!" Weiss stormed up to both of them, shaking their focus away from the conversation at hand and to what her problem was. Blake felt her eyes widen at the fact the heiress looked downright unkempt, and the girl's pale skin was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. "First, she failed to tell me that we were doing endurance training, not actual sparring! Then, she has the gall to be mad at me when I said that her style was barbaric!"

Yang snickered quietly during the tirade, elbowing her partner to receive an amused sideways glance. Once their teammate was done, she spoke up with a broad grin. "Did you specifically say it was barbaric, or did you actually tell her that in a nice way?"

Pale blue eyes blinked before Weiss opened her mouth again. "I know that I can be.. _difficult_ when voicing my opinions, but she was-"

"She's an angry person by default, Weiss." Blake spoke more calmly than the other two, glad that her own confession had been put off for the time being. "But I don't think she would have a problem with any opinions you held. Unless.. You didn't insult her based on her being a Faunus, did you?"

Pink spread across the heiress' cheeks, and the girl stammered for a few moments before the admission came. "It almost slipped out, but I didn't say it.. She stomped off after that."

"Weiss! You can't just attack someone based upon their race." Anger replaced Blake's even tone, and drew surprised expressions from the other two girls. She knew that as a Schnee, her teammate most likely held less than stellar opinions of the Faunus, but the revelation that the heiress would voice those thoughts summoned up a familiar indignation within her. "Despite what she did, Claire has been trying to mend things with you! No wonder she stomped off, if you were being a bi-"

Before she could finish the curse word, the holographic displays that lined the atrium walls lit up with a news bulletin. Displayed a newswoman with white hair and bright yellow eyes, the sound echoed through the large room. "I'm Lisa Lavender with Vale News Network. Breaking news from downtown Vale, there has been another attack on a popular storefront selling dust in the commercial district. Believed to have been perpetrated by the violent Faunus Rights fringe group called the White Fang, this attack resulted in several casualties."

A scoff from Weiss drew Blake's gaze for a moment, glaring at the other girl before resuming focus on the broadcast. "In light of the escalating conflict, the Vale Police Department has issued a statement that they will be calling in several experts from Beacon Academy to assist in the investigations. Citizens are advised to use caution when outdoors, and not to leave their houses alone, as the criminals remain at large." There were a few cuts to spray painted symbols of the White Fang on the sides of buildings, before the display flickered away to shots of relief workers clearing away the rubble of a village. "In other news, Grimm attacks have increased in the-"

"Casualties?" There was a quiet disbelief in Yang's voice, as the blonde reached up and ran a hand through her thick hair.

"It's not surprising." Both gazes turned to Weiss as she spoke, forcing her to explain herself further. She continued on in an even tone, believing wholeheartedly that she was merely stating the facts. "The White Fang has always employed fear and violence into their tactics. They are little more than thugs, glorified psychopathic terrorists who cling to a message of equality in order to gain sympathy for their actions."

"You're wrong. The White Fang weren't always like this." It was Blake who disagreed with her, the taller girl scowling down at her. "They are far from psychopaths, they are just misguided!"

Matching the glare with one of her own, Weiss stepped up to stand face to face with the other girl. "They-" Before she could launch a rebuttal to what her teammate had said, the bell signaling the end of study hall rang through the building.

Yang, all too happy to break up the brewing fight, slid between the two girls with a bright smile. "Well.. Looks like we should go to class, yeah?" She was unsuccessful in ending the prolonged eye contact of the glares, but she did manage to turn them both in the direction of Grimm Biology.

* * *

Sitting with one hand propping up her head, Ruby had arrived early to the class, with the intention of studying the notes Weiss had forced her to take in preparation for their first quiz. Unfortunately, she was lost in nothing short of a daydream, nuzzling her cheek against a palm as she remembered the feeling that had flooded through her limbs when Blake had touched her. She hadn't noticed that she wasn't alone until a hand was softly laid across the back of her neck, bringing her to an alert state instantly as playful violet eyes appeared next to her.

"Hey there, Red. Dozing off already?" Iris Vex slid down in the seat next to her, the only other occupant of the room they now shared. Ruby's distracted mind made the observation that the girl sat on the seat sideways, so the long fox tail wouldn't be trapped by the back of the chair. The simple elegance of it all, combined with her current mental state, caused her to chuckle at the realization. "Don't know how you are going to make it through one of Port's famous speeches.. Then again, I don't think you've made it through a single one so far."

A devilish grin was sent her way as the girl swiveled in the chair, the purple tip of the tail swaying to counter balance the movement. "Hey! I.. Well, I almost made it through one, I think." Ruby giggled as she thought back, her memory replaying a dozen different scenarios where she nodded off in the middle of the Professor's overly extravagant retelling of Grimm kills. "How do you manage to make it through them?"

"Me? I make him flirt with girls around the class." The fox-girl swung a complete circle with the chair, stopping the momentum with nothing but her tail and giving a satisfied noise at the end of it. Kicking against the floor with the toe of one of her shoes, Iris sent herself in the opposite direction next, coming out of the spin face to face with the younger student. "Never anything serious, just enough to gauge what his type is. With how he responds to your sister, I'd say he has a thing for blondes. Hmm, maybe I should have him flirt with Goodwitch?"

Tapping a finger against her lips, she watched as red-streaked hair shook in a gesture of pure disbelief. "What if you get caught?"

"What if? No reason to worry about what might happen, Ruby. Because it probably won't." Leaning forward, she scooted the chair closer to the younger girl. "So, Amber told me you weren't doing so hot. And Nyx tells me that he saw Blake running from your dorm earlier. Care to share?"

Wary of the sudden change in distance, Ruby leaned back from the Faunus girl, shaking her head once again. "I-It's nothing. She just had somewhere to be, I guess." Despite her best efforts, her thoughts turned back to the moment in the room where Blake had let slip a small note of her affection. Even if the aftermath had hurt, that singular connection between them had felt amazing to her.

Unbeknownst to the girl, the remembrance treated Iris to the sight of a deep blush. "No way.." Silver eyes snapped over to her, wide with caution as she leaned back from the scythe-wielder. "I knew she kept looking your way, but to think that she actually.. And you?" Shock turned into a wide, playful grin, as Iris gave a laugh. The light, crystal clear sound was amplified by the acoustics of the relatively quiet room. "Aren't you a little young to be interested in your teammates, Red?"

"I'm not- She's just-" Flustered and caught off guard by the accusation, Ruby struggled to respond, looking a way and feeling the heat on her cheeks dial up to full burn as she clasped her hands together nervously. As if by a side thought, she registered the remark on her age, and that brought her back around. "I can't help it if my heart decides to get all fluttery around her.. And I've already had my first kiss, thank you very much!"

The fox ears atop her tormentor's head twitched in delight as the owner of them squealed. "Gods you are cute!" Narrowing her eyes in confusion, Ruby requested an explanation by expression alone, a message that the Faunus was all too eager to reply to. "Sorry, you are just so innocent compared to.. Well, me." One violet orb winked in her direction, and the girl leaned back on the chair with a renewed laugh. "It's just so cute that you like the closed off loner."

"You said.. You saw her looking at me? Do you usually notice things like that?" Ruby worded her question carefully, not wanting to appear judgmental when the Faunus could provide her with some valuable insight to why Blake had ran off.

"Of course!" Iris was all too happy to explain, coming back down from her high and reaching up to scratch at the base of one furry ear. "I have to watch people, have to learn what they like. My semblance is useful, but it's downright unfair if I have that edge over an opponent, you know? Like with your sister." She enjoyed it far too much as the younger girl gave an awkward cough and looked away. "I saw the way she was watching me, so I chose her to fight. I could have gotten a free hit while she was standing there gawking at me, but.. I wanted her to like me."

"Doesn't that ever get-" Ruby's question was broken up by the door opening, revealing the first of the students to begin filtering in. As if on cue, the bell rang to signal the end of the study period, and she gave a heavy sigh.

"Don't worry, Ruby." Iris stood, towering above her now that she was the only one sitting. "We'll talk later, I'll give you some tips on how to deal with Blake. Just.. Uh, put in a good word for me with your sister, will you? Our last conversation got a bit heavy, and I think I might have scared her off a bit." The black fur of the Faunus girl's ears drooped as she spoke, and she felt a sort of kinship with the girl, comforted by the fact she wasn't the only one whose relationships were off kilter.

"Will do. Thanks Iris!" Feeling a bit better about the entire situation, Ruby turned back to the face the front as the other girl let her be. Folding her arms and leaning against the desk on them, she resolved to patiently wait until the rest of her Team arrived, and talk things over with Blake.

* * *

Yang wanted to bash her head against the wall by the time they reached the classroom. Or bash both of her teammate's heads. It was hard to tell which it was after stewing in annoyance for so long. Blake and Weiss had hurled arguments back and forth about the White Fang the entire way there, even rehashing a couple points to add something to them. For her, it was agony, and she was all too happy to turn into the lecture hall and frantically search for her sister. She spotted the familiar red-and-black streaked hair in the middle row, but stopped when she realized that Iris was watching her from the side.

Sitting in the top row of seats, the Faunus girl had a playful expression on her face, a vast difference from the serious conversation that they had engaged in earlier. Flashing a smile in the girl's direction, Yang received a dazzling smirk in return, along with a wink that caused her mental focus to melt for a second. Blinking herself out of the temporary daze, she stumbled down to the chair waiting for her next to Ruby, whining as she took the seat. "Make them stop."

Pools of argent color turned to regard her before she directed them toward their bickering teammates. As if they had heard her plea, the argument stopped. Or rather, one part of it did. Blake was staring down in their direction, the girl's pale skin darkening into a deep red blush across her cheeks. Without warning, Yang's sister turned back around, leaving her to glance between the two with a raised eyebrow. She recalled that her partner had wanted to tell her something about Ruby, but the news report on the Dust store robbery had taken the spotlight.

It seemed that Weiss had missed the reason for the argument ending, as the heiress gave an exasperated noise and moved to join them, her departure shaking Blake from the spell long enough that she could follow. Taking the seat furthest from Ruby, she avoided the younger girl's gaze, folding her arms and keeping them close to her chest as she waited for the class to begin. Despite her outward stoicism, her thoughts raced to find a solution to the current predicament.

The argument with the Schnee heiress was the perfect example of why she should have ran from that dorm. A relationship with someone who did not even know what she was, let alone who she was, was completely out of the question. But still, a nagging voice in the back of her head, the hopeless romantic that enjoyed the various literature that line her personal bookshelf in their room, stated that Ruby would not care. With a heavy sigh, she settled down to endure the torturous that this lesson was sure to be.

Along the top row, Iris watched the members of Team RWBY with a knowing grin, her front teeth grazing across her lower lip as it did when she was deep in thought. "Stop that." The command broke her concentration, drawing her gaze upwards to the other Faunus that was sitting down next to her. Claire looked better than she had that morning, the wild mane of hair somewhat tamed and definitely washed, and a color to her cheek that suggested she had at least gotten some measure of sleep. "I know that look, you're scheming. So stop."

"But I-"

"No." A smirk that turned her way let Iris know that the other girl was messing with her. "So what is the next great plan?"

Leaning forward and bringing herself closer to the wolf-girl in order to conspire in whispers, Iris pointed down to the members of Team RWBY. "Well, I just learned that little Red has the hots for Blake, who apparently has it so bad for Ruby that she ran out of their room in a panic. And I know I want Blondie, which leaves you Weiss. So it all works out really." Blinking as she straightened up and glanced to their other two teammates, she gave a shrug. "Well, there's still Nyx and Amber, but I don't think they are physically capable of being with someone."

Claire looked past her to two Pinion twins with a chuckle, then the dark eyes found her again. "Nyx is dating one of the girls from Impetus that didn't make it into Beacon. Something.. Ochre? I forget. But I think you're right about Amber." Leaning in closer, the fierce features of the wolf-girl narrowed into a more threatening expression. "And Weiss Schnee is straight, like I told you. Stop trying to make that happen."

Dismissing the order with a wave of her hand, Iris turned to face the front with a smug look plastered across her face. "I was just trying to help you out, Claire."

"Yeah, I know. It's what I'm afraid of." The leader of Team CAIN leaned back and put her feet up on the table like before, the heels of steel armor clanging as she did so. "Good for Ruby. She seems like a nice kid, Blake though.. Something smells off about her, can't place it though."

Claire mused over the thoughts, not noticing that the brunette beside her had affixed her with an intensely curious gaze. She was busy glaring at the back of the Schnee girl's head, still annoyed of how their first training session had gone. Despite the way it had ended, she had to admit that some progress had been made with the heiress, and even more with herself during her talk with Ozpin. They had only managed to cover the basics; her birthplace, her sister, becoming an orphan. But the Professor had never pushed for more information, he had only let her divulge what she wanted. Still, it had been the easy things, the difficult parts would come later.

Stuck in the replay of her time with the Headmaster, Claire did not realize that the teacher had entered the room, at least until she realized that it was not the right teacher. Professor Port had been replaced with a woman not much older than most of the students in the room, one that wore an outfit that caught the attention of nearly all the males, and even some of the females. It consisted of black leather pants that hugged to long, toned legs, accentuating the wide hips of the woman. Her torso was covered by a vest of similar material, hugging to the chest and revealing a muscled abdomen. One arm was covered by a long sleeve of cloth, but the other lay bare.

When the newcomer reached the center of the room, she turned to regard the students. Black hair was styled into a pixie cut, short in the front and longer in the back while remaining distinctly feminine, framing a pretty face with bangs. Beneath the strands stood out two eyes the color of a looming storm cloud, studying them all quickly before she spoke. "Greetings, class. My name is Memphis Slate, and I will be filling in for Professor Port as he is away on business." There was a chorus of whispers throughout the room that were silenced immediately as she raised a hand. "No, I am not a teacher, I am just a Huntress that happened to be resupplying and offered to pitch in. Luckily for me, we aren't staying in the classroom."

The full fledged Huntress before them bared her teeth in a vicious grin. "Professor Peach has informed me that there is a need for the red sap that comes from the trees in Forever Fall, so I get to take the lot of you out into the closest thing you're going to get to the Grimm-infested wilderness until your second semester." Moving through the aisles as quickly as she had appeared, Slate wasted no time. "Up and at 'em, kids, the bullheads will be leaving at fifteen-hundred hours. You all need to be armed and ready by then, class dismissed!"

Glancing over to her partner, Claire saw that Iris shared the same enthusiasm as her for getting out of the classroom and into the possibility of a fight. Even if there were a legion of Grimm waiting for them, it was well worth it to get away from another of Port's lectures on why the Professor was the greatest Hunter than ever lived. "Well now I'm glad Schnee decided to drag me out of the dorms today."

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry it took a bit to get this chapter out. I was drawing, coming up with dossiers, and jotting down ideas for a Cyberpunk AU fic(which is still a maybe). Aside from that, I kept rewriting the beginning to this chapter.. I dunno what it was, but I could not come up with a decent start. But I think I like it now. Anyway! I updated parts of chapter 1 and 2 to include more in depth descriptions of Amber and Nyx, and generally just better writing. There are links in my profile to both my DeviantArt, where you can find Claire and Iris' emblems, and to the dossiers on the /r/RWBYOC subreddit about all the members of Team CAIN. Highly recommend you check those out, and as always, drop a review with your thoughts. Until next time! -Fox**

**Shoutout to 60Grim06: Thanks for leaving a review! I want you to know that despite your simple encouragement, it truly made a shitty day at work much better. You rock!**


	6. Apologetic Sting

_**Roses &amp; Thorns **_**– Volume 1 – Chapter 6**

**-Apologetic Sting-**

* * *

Under normal circumstances, the class of forty or so students would have exited the lecture hall at a steady pace, trickling out after they had collected their belongings. But with the news that they would be leaving the confines of the Academy and heading into potential danger had set an electric feel to the air for many of them, and they practically exploded from the room, rushing to gather their gear and meet the deadline the substitute had set.

Ruby Rose was not one of those people, not today. When she reached the hallway she could not force herself to walk another step, instead waiting for the teammate that was trailing behind all the other students in an attempt to give her the slip. Golden eyes found her and widened considerably, but the older girl did not run, she simply averted her gaze and continued following the rest of the class. Stepping up to match Blake's stride, Ruby found herself unable to do more than glance over in a furtive manner.

An uneasy silence sat between them as they walked down the corridor behind the rest of the first years. Their other teammates had been some of the first out the door, Yang on account of her undying need to excitement, and Weiss because of her own desire to excel. It left them with an awkward vibe, and a noticeable barrier that they both maintained, as if touching one another would ignite the sparks that seemed to flow into creation whenever they were near.

Ruby resolved to break the stalemate first, speaking so quietly that she was unsure if the older girl would hear her. "..I'm sorry." It seemed that her words did indeed reach Blake, as amber orbs turned to regard her. There was surprise evident in the beautiful features, enough so that it gave her pause for a few more seconds. "I-I don't know what I did, exactly.. But whatever it was, I'm sorry."

The unexpected apology threw Blake off from her calm act. Until that point, she had been able to contain the rapid beating in her chest that had been present since she had locked eyes with the younger girl in the classroom only minutes before. She had been able to hide how much of a wreck just being near the other made her. The corners of her mouth twisted downward into a frown, but she couldn't force the words through her airways, to let the brunette know that it was far from her fault that the incident had happened earlier.

There was so much to say that her mind could not find a way to start speaking, and her voice continued to fail as silver eyes peeked out from beneath the black and red bangs once. And then again. The final time the gorgeous color of the orbs was tainted by the unmistakable presence of pain within them. "A-anyway, like I said. Sorry. I'll just.. Leave you alone." Without another word, Ruby shot off in an explosion of rose petals to catch up with the rest of the students. Blake was left behind, a hand unknowingly outstretched in the direction of the other girl, and a whisper in the back of her head criticizing her own inaction.

* * *

Tucking Packmaster into the holster centered on the back of her belt, Claire breathed out a long sigh. Excited as she was for the coming activity, she could feel the scowl emanating from across the locker room. The Schnee heiress was still as steamed from their earlier argument as she was, and a glance over her shoulder confirmed it. An icy gaze originated from light blue eyes, both of them narrowed in a way that marred the pretty features of the other girl.

Instead of staring across the distance, Claire shook her head and turned back to the locker to retrieve Staccato Scar from where it lay. Sliding it inside the space between her side and the belt that hung about her waist, she laid a gentle hand on Amber's shoulder as she stepped past her teammate. One of the first to enter the locker room, and to exit it, she made it to the door without much incident.

Crossing through the portal, she was forced to sidestep as a shorter student rushed by. The trailing red cloak was telling enough of its owner, but what surprised Claire was the unusually stoic expression on the girl's face, causing her to cock a curious eyebrow. Turning back to continue on to the launch pads, she found yet another member of Team RWBY coming down the hallway. The brunette gave her a cold stare as she stepped past, holding to a practiced neutral expression.

"And _that_ is why those poor girls need my help." A hand clapped down on her left shoulder, causing her to dip in that direction for a moment before correcting. Glancing over, she saw that Iris was using her as a base while the other Faunus fixed the positioning of a shoe. Further study revealed that Siren Melody was indeed strapped to her teammate's thigh, and that was enough for Claire to excuse the other intrusions. "I mean, look at them, they're worse off than we were! And don't even get me started on us, do you remember how you asked me out?"

"I didn't ask you out. You made me kiss you during a sparring session." Tossing her view to anywhere but the struggling fox-girl, she ran a hand under the wild locks of her hair to scratch at the back of her neck, one of the many nervous habits she employed. It was hard not to replay the scene in her mind, complete with the embarrassment and angry aftermath. Remembering it caused her wolfish ears to twitch outwards for a moment, as she cringed internally. "In front of the entire school."

"You were winning, I had to do something drastic." Iris' voice became muffled, as the Faunus girl bent to examine the troublesome footwear closer. Without warning the other, Claire knocked the hand on her shoulder loose, causing her teammate to stumble and straighten with an expression that was a prelude to an insult. But the curse never came, and the fox-girl's features light up to a wide grin. "Hey, you fixed it. Thanks!" The indigo eyes of the other found her own, narrowing a bit but filling with a more cautious light. Eternal confidence was instead replaced with an uncertain start to the girl's next words. "But.. We're good now, yeah? I mean.. Friends?"

It was hard not to hear the implied question that lingered in the silence, the quiet plea for forgiveness. Deciding upon which course to take with her ex was much easier, letting lopsided smile spread across her lips and giving a genuine nod. "Whatever happened before, don't worry about it. We didn't really work, anyway. All the fights, all the drama.. I don't miss that." Her mirth at the situation caused the fox-eared teen to laugh softly, and give a small noise of agreement. "I won't try to get in the way of whatever you have going on with Yang, if that's what you're worried about."

"I.. Thanks, Claire." It seemed to have surprised Iris that she was so willing to keep their relationship on simple terms. It was not a hard choice for her, given how the last attempt had ended, and the emptiness that had followed. Beacon was a new beginning, and she would do her best to keep it free from past mistakes. Their private conversation became decidedly less so as the other students began filtering out from the locker room, the buzz of excitement evident in the air. Tilting her head in the direction of the Bullheads, she waited until the other Faunus gave a nod before following the crowd.

* * *

Wrapping fingers around the loop that hung from the ceiling of the Bullhead's bay, Ruby made it just in time for her stomach to churn with the sensation of takeoff. Holding a hand to her belly with a groan, her actions caused Yang to let out a rowdy laugh, one that drew the gaze of the other occupants of the aircraft.

Or rather, all but one. Weiss was glaring over her shoulder, an angry enough expression on her partner's face to make her glance back. Behind her stood the leader of the other team traveling with them, CAIN. Already messy hair was being blown back by the rushing wind, and dark brown eyes were turned toward the world below, studying it intently. As if sensing that a new stare had joined the fray, those orbs snapped up to her, and Claire Briar spoke with a small smile. "Hang on to your lunch, Rose. Wouldn't want you to puke all over the Princess' pretty dress."

"It's a combat skirt!" Ruby joined in the laughter as the leader of the other team returned to watching out the side of the aircraft, turning back to find that her partner had grown even more mad. The roar of the engines made it so the next words out of the heiress' mouth were heard only by the members of RWBY. "Which you would know if you were actually civilized."

Discomfort suddenly gripped the atmosphere of the transport, and no longer because of the motions through the air. Ruby found her eyes glued to the metal floor of the bay, but one of her other teammates did not stand idly by. "Would you stop it?!" The yell came from the corner of the small area, from where Blake stood, her golden eyes centered upon Weiss and a deadly scowl on her face. "Could you not just keep your ignorant mouth closed?"

Now caught staring between her two arguing teammates, Ruby was caught completely off guard and feeling as if she had missed something that had happened earlier. "Excuse me?" Weiss' tone was practically dripping with indignation, so much so that the heiress even stamped a foot in a childish manner. "Don't speak to me that way, I am-"

"Enough, children." The stern yet calm reminder that both teams were accompanied by their substitute teacher was a more than adequate reason for them to return to silence. Memphis Slate fixed a glare on each of them with stormy gray eyes as a hand reached up and tapped the headset present in the woman's ear. "Attention all teams, this is Slate." The emotionless voice played through the speakers of the transport bay, more than loud enough to be heard over the engines. "Grimm activity in Forever Fall has seen a marked increase in the last few weeks, so be on your guard. Let's get in, get the sap, and get out without anyone getting killed. I don't need that paperwork."

What surprised Ruby the most was not the cold tone the Huntress had employed, but the utterly casual way that Slate had dismissed the prospect of students dying. It was not hard to imagine the reason that this woman was put into the field instead of teaching in an academy, already seeming like the type that preferred being alone. "Hey, Profe- Uh, Ma'am?" Yang's voice rang out with a touch of uncertainty upon it, emphasized by the way she stumbled over what to call the older woman. "If there's a bunch of Grimm.. Why are _we_ doing it?"

Slate, who was standing in the center of the bay without a handhold, tugged at the tight sleeve on her right arm. "Simply put, because the Headmaster has assured me that you are up to it. RWBY and CAIN especially so." Folding her arms, the older woman donned an amused grin. "What, don't think you're up for it, blondie?"

"I was just worried you wouldn't be able to keep up, in your old age." Yang matched the smile with a vicious one of her own.

For the first time since the woman had entered their classroom, Ruby saw Slate take an interest in one of them, specifically her sister. Laughing in a way that shook her slender shoulders, the Huntress didn't even try to hide that she was impressed. "I like you. What's your name?"

"Yang Xiao Long, I'm sure its a pleasure." The brawler gave the best impression she could of a mock bow without letting go of the handle that kept her secured placed on the aircraft.

"That remains to be seen. We're here." Cool gray eyes took on a challenging gleam as a smirk crossed the woman's face. Slate pulled up a scroll and tapped a finger against its interface a few times, her other hand busy connecting her headset to the speakers once again. "Alright kids, listen up. In your VTOL you will find two packs, that means one to each team. I want every jar filled, and you all back at the extraction point by eighteen hundred hours. As you've probably noticed, we will not be setting down, that means landing strategies! Move out!"

Ruby turned to glance around for the packs, finding that Nyx had already grabbed the one belonging to CAIN, and Yang was busy picking up the one for her own team. "Landing strategies?" The confident tone brought her around, where she found Claire stepping off the side of the Bullhead into free fall.

Shock barely had time to register before Iris stepped up to the edge and tossed a wink in her direction. "Better follow quickly if you want the easiest ride down!" The Faunus girl turned and extended her arms, falling from the aircraft with an excited yell. Even as Ruby turned back to gather an explanation from her teammates, she let out a cry of panic.

Yang had needed no further encouragement than the two members of team CAIN jumping, and had promptly rushed to tackle her younger sister out of the Bullhead. The wind slammed into her form as they dove over the side, deafening her as it whistled by and the ground grew closer with each second. Beneath them was Forever Fall, a forest where the trees never bowed to seasons, and the leaves never lost their signature red color.

Blackened trunks and a floor of fallen blood red leaves created a beautiful contrast, but one that was disrupted by the rusted glow that encompassed the area beneath their transport. Even with her younger sister screaming as they were hurtled through the air, Yang enjoyed the exhilaration that came with the fall, letting out a cheerful yell of equal volume. As they neared the ground, gravity relinquished its hold on them, and they slowed to halt.

Hovering a few inches above the forest floor, Ruby righted herself quickly, stepping down and relishing the feeling of comfort that was her boots connecting with solid ground. After a moment of recovery, she reached over and slapped her older sister's shoulder. "Yang! That wasn't funny!"

"I dunno, Rose. Looked pretty funny from down here." It was Iris that taunted her, the Faunus bounding over, all too eager to help Yang up. Gripping the offering hand, the blonde girl was yanked up to her feet, nearly falling over from the laughter that shook her form as she hugged the fox-girl for support.

Scoffing at the two, Ruby looked over to where the source of the gravity field stood, the wolfish ears atop Claire's heading twitching as if following the ticks of a clock. Dark brown eyes were studying the airship, or more precisely, those that had jumped later than the rest of them. Soon after their landing, they were joined by the remaining five occupants of the Bullhead, all of them landing gracefully on both feet. The second the last pair of boots touched ground, a snap was heard, and the Faunus that had slowed their descent allowed her semblance to dissipate.

There was a moment where Claire locked eyes with Weiss, and instead of a glare there was an expression of respect on the heiress' features. For that brief second, the pale girl certainly was beautiful, but then it was gone, replaced instead with a scowl that caused her to sigh heavily and brace for what was coming. "What a waste of energy, using your semblance like that! What if we encounter Grimm?!"

Rolling her eyes, Claire made it a point to not engage the heiress, instead scanning the surrounding area for what they had come for. "Slate. Any old tree will do, right?"

"No." The Huntress moved up beside her, pointing northward with a certainty. "See the gray ash covering their trunks? Means these are still relatively young. We need the older trees, the ones with black trunks.. Those will be deeper in." Turning to face the rest of the students, the woman gestured them onward. "Let's move!"

* * *

Their steady pace made good time, arriving at a deeper section of the forest quicker than Ruby would have expected. When they reached a strange sort of natural intersection formed from the denser concentrations of trees, there were two presented paths for them to take. Slate was in the lead, and turned when she slowed to a stop. "That path should lead you farther in." Pointing down the right hand side, she then nodded her head in the direction of the left. "This one will let me check in on the rest of the students." Stormy eyes turned back to regard them, and the commanding voice of the woman took on a more sarcastic tone. "Assuming you all will be okay without a babysitter?"

Taking a moment to look over the small gathering of her own team and the four members of CAIN, Ruby turned back to the Huntress and gave a confident nod. "Don't worry about us, Slate." With a bow of her head, Slate took off into the forest, heading in the direction of the other students. Turning to face the other team leader present, she gestured down the path that had been pointed out to them. "Shall we?"

"After you, Rose." Claire's response caught her off guard, having thought that the older girl would have wanted to take the lead on this. Recovering as quick as she could, she began her way down the trail that led deeper into the forest. Behind her, the crackling of dry leaves and twigs snapping announced that the others were following.

Yang cracked a wide grin at the way her sister had taken charge of the mission so quickly, with that signature Ruby awkward cuteness. Stomping happily along the trail, she scanned the surroundings with an appraising eye. Forever Fall was a scene out of a dream, or a painting, its beautiful landscape of bright red clashing gorgeously with the black and gray of the tree trunks. It was almost surreal, and it almost distracted her from noticing the way that her partner was darting a nervous gaze around the canopy. "Something wrong, Blake?"

Golden eyes paused their flitting to lock onto her, widening at having been discovered, but the girl's expression remained as neutral as always. "It's nothing, just keeping a lookout for those Grimm Slate mentioned." Yang didn't buy the explanation for a second, given the way that Blake resumed the behavior the moment their conversation was over. Besides, what were a few Grimm to them now?

* * *

Stopping short of a large clearing, Ruby made a noise of surprise, one that was repeated by each member of the group that made it to where she was standing. The trunks on the other end of the small glade were those that would be considered ready for harvesting, and the scene that it presented was almost a disturbing one. Each of the crack and blackened trunks of the trees was leaking red sap that dripped and flowed down to the ground below, looking far too similar to blood from where she stood.

"Guess that means they're ready." The husky tone of Team CAIN's leader pulled Ruby from her observations, and she glanced over to find dark brown eyes studying her for a moment. "Think we should split up, teams of two?"

"Teams of two." Nodding to confirm the idea, Ruby turned to face the rest of their small party. "Yang, Nyx, pass out the jars so everyone has one. We're going to split up so we can get this finished as quickly as possible." Even before she was done speaking, her sister and the tall brunette boy were complying with her commands, opening the large packs and offering the glass containers to those nearby.

"I'll go with Rose." Claire spoke up as she took one of the offered jars, unscrewing the lid to test it before twisting it back on. "Amber, you're with Nyx, naturally." A tiny smile appeared on the redhead's lips as burning eyes rose to regard her for a brief moment, one that she returned with a wide grin. "Yang, you're with Iris. That leaves you and Blake, Weiss." Her lips slid down into a more neutral expression as she turned to face the heiress, finding that the indignation that sent a chill down her spine was waiting for her in the pale blue orbs of the other girl.

"Ruby." Blake watched as Weiss addressed their team leader, and not Claire. "Perhaps it would be best if you and I switched, considering earlier.. Arguments." Affixing a hard glare to the back of the heiress' head, she found it hard to maintain anger when the girl was setting her up with the perfect opportunity to talk things over with Ruby.

"No." The youngest of the group did not even consider the proposal, giving a simple shake of the head that tousled the locks of brunette hair. "These teams work." Even as Weiss was about to refute the decision, Blake saw the way Ruby's silver eyes locked onto her for a moment. There was no small measure of uneasiness within her teammate's gaze, and even a sliver of dread. It was enough to flood her heart with guilt as she felt her insides crush together in pain at the subtle rejection.

Let a noise of discontent pass through her lips, Weiss simply resolved to take the jar that Yang was incessantly tapping against her arm, stomping off in a direction with not even so much as a glance back to make sure Blake was following.

"Alright then, let's get a move on." Claire turned and waited for the younger leader to join her before striding off towards the East end of the clearing. As soon as they were out of earshot of the others, she turned a minute degree in order to converse more easily as they walked. "Things seem to be a little cold on Team RWBY."

She was not prepared for the look on Ruby's face when it finally lifted to regard her, the expression of sadness making her feel like an ass for making light of the problems facing the other team leader. The young brunette gave a helpless shrug, the downcast look on her face only growing stronger. "I don't know what to do. Weiss and Blake are mad at each other for some reason, and Blake.. Sorry, I don't want to bore you with this."

"I'm not the best at.. Talking, really." Claire stepped around the wide trunk of an ancient tree, catching a hand on the bark and swinging herself the last part of the distance so she landed back in stride with the other girl. "But I can listen. Let me know if you need me." A glance told her that something akin to shock had taken hold in the argent orbs, and it drew a laugh from her as she shook her head. "I don't come across as that unapproachable, do I?"

"Well.." Ruby was trying hard not to insult the taller girl, but knew there was no way to circumvent it with the answer to the question. "You kind of do. I mean, after what happened in the arena.. I know Weiss seems okay with it, but I saw the way you were looking at her during the fight and.." Shutting herself up, she hesitated to meet the Faunus' gaze for a moment. Relief flooded through her when she did, finding none of the anger she expected. Instead, it was an expression of guilt and averted eyes. "You're just a little scary, is all."

"So I've been told."

There was no chance to ask the other to clarify. Ruby started as the wolf-girl's ears gave an agitated twitch as the Faunus glanced about in alarm, and the taller of the two dropped into a readied combat stance. "What is it?" Her ears strained to pick up the sound that had alerted her companion, but it was not long before she heard it too. Twigs were snapping at an increasing rate, the sound drawing ever closer. Something, a lot of somethings, were coming.

* * *

Iris' grin only grew as she heard Yang give another loud and relieved sigh, the confirmation that the blonde was glad to be partnered up with her more than enough to enforce her playful mood. Each bouncing step was met with the happy swaying of her tail, relishing the pleasant sensation the movements caused of cool air passing over her fur. "Xiao Long." The use of the last name caused lilac eyes to snap up to regard her with a questioning expression, one that she met with a sultry wink. "I know you have a good view from back there, but try to keep up, yeah?"

One thing she positively loved about the brawler was that timid responses were few and far between, the girl was never put off-kilter by a flirt. Instead of a sheepish admittance of staring, Yang instead flashed her a radiant grin. "And which one of us has her tail raised to give me that view, huh?" Despite the reply, the taller girl bounded up beside her, softly bumping their shoulders together and giving a laugh. "I'm just glad that I didn't get paired up with anyone else. All my teammates are being so moody today."

"You should try having Claire on your team. That girl is the definition of moody." Brushing a hand through the purple tips of her hair, Iris took a moment to sneak a look at the blonde from under her bangs. Yang was beautiful at most times simply by default, but the way the brawler looked in sunlight was almost at a level of unfair. Many thoughts raced through her mind, some of them causing her cheeks to tinge with a familiar warmth, one that she forced away by changing the subject both internally and externally. "So what's up with your team? Aside from Blake and Ruby's thing."

"Do you know what's going on with those two?" Yang slid to a stop, and lilac colored eyes locked on to her, revealing her mistake as she stumbled over several different answers before settling into a shrug that explained nothing to the blonde. "Oh come on, it's my little sister, you have to tell me if you know something!"

The pout presented before Iris was far too endearing to resist, and she sauntered forward with a playful smirk. "Well, what do I get if I tell you?" Reaching toward the other and resting a confident hand on the hip of the much stronger girl, she balanced the large jar in her offhand. "I mean, this is vital information."

Yang melted a little when she felt the gentle touch of the Faunus girl dance over her skin, the unfamiliar feeling of uneasiness churning in her stomach as she stared down at her shorter companion. Pools of indigo were relentless, capturing her gaze in each attempt of her own to disengage from this compromising situation. If she had been anyone else, she was sure she would be putty in the hands of the skilled manipulator that was Iris Vex, but she was a Xiao Long, not some helpless schoolgirl from Vacuo.

Instead of backing away from the contact, she leaned into it, driving the other girl back the few steps it took until the Faunus was pressed flush against the sturdy trunk of a tree. Grinning at the way she had reversed the momentum of the conversation, Yang was denied the reward of her small victory by the buzzing of the scrolls in each of their pockets. A male voice, presumably one of the Bullhead pilots, sounded out. "Beacon students, be advised, there are Grimm sighted in the area and bearing down on multiple positions."

Another voice joined the fray as Yang heard the girl between her and the tree groan in frustration. "This is Slate. Provide cover for the flanks and hold the extraction point, we're completing the mission, Grimm or no. Students, get that sap and get out as fast as you can!" It was the silence that followed that pulled her back to reality, a reality where she had an arm wrapped about the waist of a beautiful girl and suddenly no time to act upon such an advantage.

Iris, however, was more than happy to offer an alternative. "Finish this conversation later?" An eager smile was her reward from the blonde as she pushed off of the tree and straightened herself, attempting to calm the butterflies that had been worked up into a frenzy in her stomach. She brought the jar that had nearly been dropped during the previous exchange close to her chest. "Lets get these stupid things filled."

* * *

Listening in on the broadcast, Blake had paused with her hand against the trunk of a nearby tree, watching as sap pooled in the jar she had placed at the base of the vegetation. It was far from her first excursion into Forever Fall, the last being only a few months before she had entered Beacon. But, her teammates did not know that, they did not know her past. Especially not the one she was now partnered with for this mission.

Pale blue eyes narrowed at her as the heiress turned and screwed the cap on a filled jar. No, if Weiss Schnee knew that it was her that had helped thrash the shipment of Schnee Dust that had been coming in on the train through this forest, her life as she knew it would be over. It was something that Blake thought of often, what would happen if her history came out to her teammate. Scenarios of being on the run, unable to return to the White Fang, unable to hide from the forces of the sprawling Dust corporation.

Of course fate had resigned her to the joke that was being on a team with the girl next in line to take over the corrupt company, and of course Weiss had been revealed to be the spoiled brat she had assumed the heiress would be. "What did you do to Ruby?" The words, spoken so sharply off the tongue of the silver-haired girl, brought her back to the task at hand. Even as she opened her mouth to ask what the other meant, Weiss spoke again. "When I suggested a switch of the teams so that we wouldn't have to be together, she didn't even consider it. And when she said no, she was looking directly at you, not me."

With a jar filled with the crimson sap of Forever Fall, Blake watched as her teammate strode over, the accusing tone of her words accompanied by an equally accusing glare. "So, what did you do to my partner?"

"Don't you have an inferior race to subjugate?" Surprising both of them, Blake spit her words in anger, the sudden rage at the mention of Ruby building up in her chest until she had to strike out. She met the scowl from the shorter girl with one of her own, stepping up so that they were mere inches away from one another. "Or can you spare the time to mess with my business?"

"What is wrong with you today? I mention one thing about a terrorist organization and you fly off the handle like I've insulted you personally! Well, here I am, insulting you because you've upset my partner!" Weiss' voice was raised in response to how she had snapped at the heiress, and it was enough to nearly push Blake over the edge and back into an argument about the racism held within the other girl.

"You-!" Before she could finish, a gibbering howl echoed through the trees, followed by a chorus of identical sounds that came from a dozen different directions. Moving as one, she and Weiss both drew their weapons and faced opposite directions, scanning the treeline for any movement. They knew what those howls meant, but the fact that many more continued to join the dissonant symphony that was already blaring through the forest was an unsettling revelation. "..Beowulves"

Moving quickly, she turned and screw the lid on her jar, just in time to stop it from spilling over with the sap. "We need to get back to the clearing and ditch these things." Weiss shared the same thought she had, indicating the glass jugs they would be forced to lug around in a fight. "Then we need to find the others."

Their argument momentarily forgotten in the face of fighting Grimm, Blake gave a slow nod in the direction they had come. "Go, I'll watch our backs."

* * *

The arc of Crescent Rose tore through flesh and sinew as if it was but paper before the blade. Another beowulf, Ruby's second kill of the evening, was torn in two and tossed to the side in a heap. Blood so dark a shade of red that it was nearly black showered the nearby area, staining the red leaves on the ground and showing very clearly where she had struck. Another growl alerted her to the presence of a Grimm behind her, and she felt the wind of the incoming strike a second after she was pulled away from the blow.

Claire had yanked her back, the Faunus still holding a fistful of her cloak as she steadied herself. With a step forward, the taller girl spun into the next attack, the bright steel of a saber cleaving through the shoulder of the juvenile 'wulf and producing the expected howl as it was then kicked away. Despite having never fought together before, Ruby was glad to have the other student at her side, their rhythm in battle similar enough that they could work when pressed. "We have to get out of here!"

Nodding in agreement, she searched for an opening in the closing ranks of the charging Grimm, finding it directly behind where they had been facing. Without wasting time to converse the idea, she grabbed the nearest hand and pulled as she made a break for it. The moment they were clear, the pack that was attacking them adjusted and closed off the way that would lead back to their group. Still leading the wolf-girl, Ruby was forced to alter her path. It happened a second time, and then again, and it was the fourth that it finally struck her what was going on.

Slowing to a stop, she bent at the knee and slid over the forest floor, letting the weight of her scythe carry the momentum forward to decapitate a beast foolish enough to block her way. Another replaced it as her slash cleared the area, and she prepared her aura to take the wicked claws, flinching away in the few precious milliseconds she was allowed. The strike never fell, as a hand clasped onto her shoulder, and an extreme weight pressed down upon her. Holding strong against it, she realized what was happening when she heard the impact of a solid object meeting flesh.

Claire had used the smaller girl as a platform for a lunging kick, driving the beowulf back before it could finish its opportunistic attack. Caught off guard and now off balance, a second spinning kick brought the beast to the ground, the heel of a boot on its neck. Her left hand tore Packmaster from its holster and unloaded a three-round burst directly into the face of the Grimm, the Dust-enhanced ammunition causing the dark matter held within the body of the animal to splash across her neck and cheek.

It was her turn to grab the young leader of Team RWBY and pull her along, utilizing her superior senses in order to lead them through the gaps in the Grimm lines. The second set of ears atop her head, those that were trimmed in gray fur, twitched with each new sound. Her mind processed these cues, and though she knew that they were being herded away from allies, it was the only way to avoid being overwhelmed. It was only a matter of time until that advantage wore thin, however, and she knew that it was lost when a claw swiped out of the shadows.

Catching it in the shoulder at a full tilt sprint, Claire spun and slammed onto her back, losing her hold on Ruby. Skidding across the fallen leaves, she rolled into the sudden momentum in order to launch herself back onto even footing. The maneuver was successful, allowing her to pivot and catch the smaller girl as she came tumbling by. It cost her in the end, as another claw came across her back, blunted by the aura that shielded her form. But that protection could only do so much, as the force behind the attack seeped into her muscles and bruised the skin beneath her clothing.

It also drained what energy she still had, causing additional effort to be expended with each panting breath as she swung wildly in the direction she had been struck from. Staccato Scar found purchase, cutting through the legs of the wolf-like Grimm and dropping it to the ground, where it cried out in bitter agony. There was no time to finish it, as Ruby recovered and pulled them both from their kneeling position.

Breaking from the treeline, Ruby made it only a few more paces before skidding to a stop, holding onto the larger forearms of the Faunus girl in order to avoid tumbling over the edge of the cliff that now trapped them. As if to celebrate their triumph, the pack of beowulves took up a discordant chorus of howls, growing ever closer to their position. Her hands twirled the shaft of her weapon through their fingers with practiced ease, slamming the blade down into the earth to create a base to fire from.

But it seemed that her companion had other ideas, the muddy brown of Claire's irises glancing to the trees, and then to the ravine that awaited them over the cliff. Ruby caught the look, and turned to gaze at the older girl with a disbelieving expression. "Are you serious?!" The discussion was ill-timed, as the ranks of Grimm broke from the trees in a dead charge.

Baring teeth in a grin that was surprisingly close the animal that she shared a likeness with, the Faunus girl did not wait for her permission. Claire kicked out to dislodge Crescent Rose from the dirt, then planted her feet and lunged forward, tackling the smaller girl off the edge of the cliff. It proved to be in the nick of time, a dozen claws reaching for them as they sailed out over the expanse below. The speed at which the beasts had attempted to attack them left many of the Grimm to tumble over the brink and fall with them.

Hugging the brunette to her chest, Claire reached within and activated her semblance, encasing them both in a brownish-red glow that held steady for the first few seconds of free fall before beginning to flicker. With her aura drained as it was, there was nowhere near enough power to slow their rapid descent to a safe degree, and thus she resolved to pour everything she could into the very last moment. As the ground below neared, she spun to place herself between her cargo and their destination. Despite this precaution, gravity reversed its effects on their forms, the flames of her abilities flaring back up.

It proved insufficient, as the last thing Claire felt before blackness claimed her was the impact of solid dirt, and a moment of lancing pain that was silenced by blissful nothingness.

* * *

**Author's Note: Broke this section off and continued it in the next chapter.. Wasn't expecting this arc to take so long. Apologies for the wait for this one, ideas for another fic keep coming and taking up time. If you haven't already, please check out the link in my profile for Team CAIN's commissions. The wonderful and talented Keethy finished Iris sooner than expected, so you can see both her and Claire there. Also, a dossier for Memphis Slate is up, for those interested in knowing a side character's backstory as well as a glimpse for a fight scene in the next chapter... As always, please follow, favorite, and drop a review with your thoughts! Until next time, my friends! - Fox**

**Side note, I'd like to know what you thought of the scene between Yang and Iris towards the end there. Writing flirting or relationships in any sort of announced fashion(instead of just alluding to it) is relatively new to me. I'd like to know what I can improve with there.**


	7. Forever Fall

_**Roses &amp; Thorns **_**– Volume 1 – Chapter 7**

**-Forever Fall-**

* * *

A light, earthy scent filled Ruby's nostrils as she returned to the world of consciousness, a pleasant aroma mixed with a dusting of sweat. In addition to the soft, warm dirt that lay beneath her form, it was not the worst way to wake up. Until the memory of what had happened flooded back into the forefront of her mind.

Her eyes shot open, and her lungs sucked in a painful breath to replace the air that had been knocked from them. The attack lasted only a few seconds as her eyes darted around, observing that she was in fact not laying upon the dirt of the forest floor, but on the soft chest of the Faunus that had tackled her off the cliff. Claire had been able to slow them enough to prevent them from crashing down to their deaths, but not enough to remove the force of impact completely. To make matters worse, it seemed that in the few seconds before they had reached the ground, the older girl had turned them so that Ruby would be more protected.

Her mind was blank as her eyes closed in a slow blink, wondering what could have possessed the Faunus to act in such a way. Pulling back and sliding into a sitting position, Ruby saw the shallow breaths that caused Claire's chest to rise and fall, accompanied by a hitching movement that could only mean an injury from the fall. The sight of it shook her from the stupor, launching her into action as she moved to place her ear closer to the girl's mouth.

It only confirmed what she already knew, as the breath came out ragged and strained. Mentally cursing herself and the girl, she almost missed the sight that had eluded her so far. A twisted, black body was mangled nearby where they had fallen. Scrambling to reach for her scythe, she found the harness on the back of her outfit surprisingly empty, and a panicked glance around the small clearing revealed Crescent Rose laying a few paces from where she now sat.

Her attempt to stand was met with a stumble, limbs still weak from the fall as she staggered to all fours. Rocks scraped against her knees as she crawled toward the fallen weapon, tearing through the light fabric of her leggings and drawing lines of blood on her legs. Before the scratches could even begin to truly leak the sanguine liquid, the shimmering of aura closed them. Wrapping fingers around the shaft of the scythe, she whirled to face the Grimm that had followed them over the edge, only to find the beast in the same position that she had spotted it in.

It's form was still, and a detailed scan of their surroundings revealed that another half dozen of the creatures had met a similar fate close by. Already, the bodies were beginning to disintegrate into oily shadows, melting away as Ruby moved back toward the unconscious form of Team CAIN's leader. Peering down at the tanned olive skin, she could already see the way the girl's aura was working on repairing the battered body, but that sight did little to alleviate the feeling of guilt worming its way into her chest. "We could have fought them."

Recalling what she could of the various first aid classes she had attended at Signal, Ruby reached beneath the sides of the worn tan jacket the Faunus was wearing and pressed her fingers down against the girl's rib cage. Moving upwards, she tracked each of the bones in an effort to detect if any of them had broken. Her search revealed nothing, bringing a heavy sigh from between her lips as she sat back on her haunches, taking the momentary pause of panicked thoughts to truly examine their situation.

It seemed that the ravine Claire had dropped them into was deeper than it looked from above, sparsely populated by a few of the red leafed trees that reigned in the forest above, but otherwise barren. It was wide as well, curving over the top as if it had once been a cave that now lay exposed to the sky. Her observations were interrupted by a cough that originated from the Faunus laying at her side.

Already rising up and holding a hand to the source of the breathing trouble, Ruby was forced to push the girl back down, watching as wide brown eyes latched on to her. "R-Rose?" The name was spoken with a strange familiarity, one that disappeared immediately as the wolf ears twitched and a new awareness flooded into the muddy orbs. "You're alive.. That's a relief." A rasp of a chuckle was followed with a lopsided grin from the Faunus.

Taking a moment to steady her breathe as she blinked, Ruby cocked her head to the side. "'That's a relief'? I'm more worried about you!" Helping the girl rise halfway to a sitting position, she let out a sigh of frustration. "How do you feel?"

Claire let a laugh bubble through her as the smaller girl helped her, an action she immediately regretted as her chest screamed out in pain. "Not that great, now that you ask. But I've had worse." Dismissing all concern for herself with a shrug, she propped her injured body up on elbows as she surveyed the damage. Satisfied with the results, she turned her gaze to the fretting girl at her side. "You good?"

A nod caused the red streaked bangs to shift for a moment, and the scythe-wielder's mouth twisted into a frown. She could see the way a question was burning on the girl's mind, saw how Ruby squirmed and shuffled through various ways to voice that query, but she had no intention of letting it escape from the pale lips beginning to separate. "And the Grimm?"

Cutting Ruby off before the girl could truly begin, Claire took the initiative and swept her gaze about the small canyon, a sense of satisfaction filling her as she spotted the corpses of the Grimm that had been swept off the ledge by their own momentum. "See, nothing to worry about. All according to plan." Her attempt to grin and gloat in her victory was broken by the hacking cough that wracked through her chest, causing her to roll onto her side.

Even through the fit, she felt the gentle hand that was laid on her shoulder. Covering her mouth to contain one of the final coughs, Claire looked up into the bright silver eyes that were staring down at her, filled with concern. Shrugging the palm loose, she sat up, quicker than before. "I'm fine, Rose."

Ruby narrowed her eyes at the Faunus, still unsure of that statement. There was a strange sensation between them now, and had been since the girl had awakened and said her name. Judging by the way the dark brown orbs slid away awkwardly before glancing back, the feeling was not going to fade away any time soon. Opening her mouth to suggest that they get moving, since Claire was feeling so chipper, she paused at the subtle vibrations traveling through the ground.

The ears atop the Claire's head twitched, signaling to Ruby that she had felt it too. Each vibration was stronger than the last, more frequent and carrying a greater sense of speed than before. Staring at the younger girl, she spoke in a voice louder than it had been just seconds ago. "On your feet, we're not alone down here." In no time at all, it seemed as if the very rock itself was attempting to tear apart as they both stood. Reaching down to her belt, she drew the long blade of Staccato Scar while she saw her companion ready the large scythe.

But they were ill prepared for what came thundering out of the crevice that led deeper into the mountain, it's sheer bulk looking almost comical at being contained within the constricting ravine. That is, it would have been comical had it not been a Death Stalker. The Grimm's segmented legs scratched against the dirt, kicking up a small storm of dust as it skittered toward them, it's claws snapping in anticipation as it neared it's prey.

"Fuck me." The groan escaped Claire's mouth before she could contain it, bringing a glance from the brunette standing at her side. Even at this distance, the multitude of beady red eyes centered on the Grimm's face were examining them, it's feral mind following the singular overriding directive to attack head on.

Ruby recovered from the appearance of the Death Stalker enough to formulate a plan, her mind racing as she weighed their considerably short list of options. "You're low on aura.. We should run."

"You're still weak from the fall and I'm half useless." The hard line of the Faunus' mouth turned into a frown as she watched, but the girl gave no ground, digging in a heel in preparation for the coming battle. "We drive it back, keep it stuck between the canyon walls, and we've got a chance."

Spinning Crescent Rose in an arc as she readied the weapon, Ruby pushed down the worry and fear that was beginning to take root in her heart, instead focusing solely on the enemy. She had seen a Death Stalker defeated before, in her first excursion as a student at Beacon. But, it had been Team JNPR that had downed the beast, and only then by knocking it off a cliff. Claire did not seem to share her apprehension for the situation, the wolf Faunus taking off in a charge at the Grimm with an impatient growl.

Even as Ruby watched, the taller girl ducked under a claw and deflected the other with the flat of her blade. But Claire was drained of stamina and aura, her strike doing little more that glancing harmlessly off of the plate of bone that was the gigantic appendage. The first she had avoided now pulled back and turned towards her once again, opening and surging forward to snap her in two.

It never arrived, the entire arm drove into the ground by a savage overhand strike from the heavy blade of a scythe. Ruby's intervention bought her the time she needed, as she found her balance once again as the second claw came back to bear. Flaring her semblance for a single instant, Claire was able to launch herself up high enough to slide across the surface of the attack, surprising the simple beast as she landed directly in front of its mouth.

Pincers as long as her forearm clacked together hungrily as she neared the opening, but the Grimm's position was far too focused on a frontal defense to adapt to her appearance quickly enough. Swinging her saber into a reversed grip, Claire took the first step forward and brought the blade to bear. Striking true, she drove the tip of the silvered steel a few inches into the soft flesh of a shiny red eyeball, erupting the soft organ and painting her weapon with oily blood. Ripping it out, she tucked her head toward her chest and fell backwards into a roll, narrowly avoiding the way the Death Stalker bit at the area she had previously occupied.

Behind the wall of armored claws, Ruby fended off two attacks by whirling her scythe in a desperate defense, empowering the block with aura in order to drive the massive pincers back a few feet. It proved sufficient to allow her comrade to pull back, sliding in the dirt next to her. Even as she risked a glance to check that the Faunus was not injured, the Grimm's stinger pulled back, and the taller girl standing next to her shouted in warning. "Rose!"

* * *

Blake drove her cleaver through the skull of a Beowulf, creating a splay of gore that spattered the nearby area with the dark blood of her fallen enemy. Another took its place, claws leading as it swiped at her. The sharpened bone tore through nothing but an illusion as she jumped back, spinning on a single heel in order to generate enough force for her next blow to sever a torso nearly in two. She was keeping up with the tide of monsters so far, but at the back of her mind she was aware that such luck could turn in an instant. Already, she could see the way that Weiss was struggling to maintain the left flank, the heiress' style of combat ill suited for fending off hordes of enemies. As if summoned by her thoughts, reinforcements entered the fray in the form of the two Pinion twins.

Skia and Fos led the way as Amber threw them, burning with aura as they cut through three individual Grimm. It cleared the path for Nyx as he sprinted forward, the twin scimitars of Winged Triumph in his hands. Forged by an unparalleled craftsman in Atlas, the white metal of the blades was illuminated by the golden glow of their edges. A vibrant hum accompanied each swing, the plasma energy slicing through the unprotected bodies of the Beowulves like a hot knife through butter.

He cut through the tendons along the back of a leg, dropping a Grimm to its knees as he passed. Another slice took the head from one directly in front of him, allowing him to turn and plant a boot on the bent platform of the kneeling beast. Practiced hands slammed each of the hilts of his weapons together, locking them into place and creating a bow. The energy that had thrummed through its blades now formed a string, one that he pulled back and unleashed a golden bolt into the back of the wounded Beowulf's head. Flipping in mid air, he corrected his position in time to deliver another such strike to one of the many animals that were surrounding the Schnee girl.

His momentum carried him as far as he had wished, landing next to the beleaguered duelist and bringing down an arc of plasma energy as he used the blades of his bow to clear Weiss' left side for a few seconds. She seemed to appreciate it, turning her back to face him as she focused on defeating what she could on the remaining side. Given a moments reprieve, Nyx took the time to look over to where his sister was situated, finding that she had joined the fray as well.

Amber had collected the thrown chakrams shortly after her brother had disappeared into the mass of Grimm, but she had not followed him toward the silver haired girl, instead turning to find Blake Belladonna pressed on all sides. Running the first few steps, she pulled each bladed ring close to her chest, allowing the maximum amount of energy to build up before she snapped both of her arms outward. First the obsidian metal of Skia shot out, followed immediately by the shining silver of Fos.

Reaching out with her aura, she took command of the weapons, directing them to where they could do the most damage without losing their momentum. They cleaved through the sides of a half dozen beowulves before she brought them hurtling back, losing view of them as a Grimm stepped into her vision, a vicious looking claw raised to strike. It paused, and the cold red eyes of the beast that was about to attack her flicked past her shoulder.

The delay cost the Beowulf its life, as both the chakrams returned to their owner. Serrated edges slammed through the chest between Amber and her weapons, which she caught in their corresponding gauntlets with ease. She did not need to turn to know what had caused the animal to freeze like it had, her ears having already caught the familiar whistle of her teammate's weapon. What truly made her look in Iris' direction was the excited whooping sound that came as a tall blonde came crashing out of the treeline, turning the disorganized battle in their little clearing into complete and utter chaos.

* * *

Yang punched the first Beowulf with so much force behind her blow that the shotgun blast destroyed a significant portion of the Grimm's upper body, sending chunks of flesh flying as she finished the poor creature with a elbow to the back of its head. The wild and rambunctious way she entered the fight turned a few heads with the help of the fox Faunus that had been at her side. Having been the victim of Iris' semblance, she was not surprised to feel its wake of power travel through the small forest clearing.

From what little she understood of how the girl's unique ability worked, she knew that it could inject an overriding drive into the minds of its targets, but only if the original thought was there. Iris had told her to get the attention of the Grimm, and so that is what Yang did, stepping past the falling body of her first kill with a triumphant yell. Her left hand was ready to block the incoming blow, slamming the claw aside with the protection of her gauntlet. Delivering a rebuttal in the form of Ember Celica, her right hand shot forward and detonated a dust round directly into the soft flesh of the Beowulf.

A juvenile and lacking the bone plate armor of older Grimm, the beast didn't stand a chance against her. The attack obliterated it, sending its body to the ground and confirming her second kill as the rest of the nearby creatures turned their attention to her. All of them charged her, compelled beyond reason by Iris' semblance, creating the single greatest taunt that Yang had ever witnessed. And uppercut sent one of the enemy towards the sky in pieces, while a deft grab at a lunging claw allowed her to spin and send another flying into a mass of its friends, bowling them all over.

On the other side of the small tunnel she had created through the center of the Grimm horde, Yang caught sight of Blake spinning and slashing away at the circle of enemies that was closing in on her. Determined not to let the opportunity slip away, she did not hesitate to charge through the opening she had created, leaving Weiss and Nyx to the capable hands of the fox Faunus behind her.

Iris, previously having been admiring the way the blonde brawler was slaughtering the young Grimm, swept her palm against the lever on Siren Melody. The gears within handled the rest, transforming the weapon into its folded rifle form. Taking a knee at the treeline, she began taking potshots at the beasts on the fringes of the clearing, those that were coming to join the battle. Each shot was aimed true, taking their targets out of the fight as the sound of her firing rang out over the din of battle.

Her efforts were noticed, as the sound of rapid tearing and scraping came from behind where she knelt. A playful grin spread across her lips as she rose and swung her weapon back into its original form, the whistling tune of the gun-blade carrying through the air as she spun on the ball of a single foot. Slashing down in a diagonal direction, steel found purchase on the back of a beowulf she had avoided, carving through its spine and sending it tumbling down the small hill into the clearing. Reversing both her grip and her direction of momentum, Iris sent herself in an opposite spin, both hands upon the hilt of her weapon.

It buried into the chest of the next charging beast with little difficulty, sundering a ribcage and tearing out the heart contained within. Unfortunately for her, she had misjudged the Grimm's speed, and the mass of the creature slammed into her much smaller frame at full force. Rolling as she made contact with the ground, she felt Siren Melody rip out of the animal's side as she dragged a hand through the fallen leaves in an attempt to slow herself. Coming up to her knees, she did not waste time recovering, instead bending at the waist to sweep the length of her blade out behind her, cutting through the exposed legs of the horde she had been flung into.

Scrambling to mount a defense, Iris was surprised when no counterattack came, and she whirled to meet the unusually passive Grimm with her gun-blade raised. Shock widened her eyes as she saw the closest three beasts collapsing to the ground, the only sign of injury being a hole of wispy smoke in their chests that faded away as they died. Another Beowulf near her took one of the ethereal weapons to its head, and it was then she caught a glimpse of its shape. The blade had looked identical to a throwing dagger, only completely transparent and apparently made of nothing, as it too disappeared into tendrils of gray fog.

Confusion was replaced with enlightenment as she turned and saw the source of the thrown blades. Their substitute, a full-fledged Huntress, sprinted from the trees at full speed. As Memphis Slate passed the spot where Iris was kneeling, she saw the gloves the older woman was wearing begin to glow and generate an incorporeal knife in each hand. Those blades were then flung into the crowd, striking down the next two unlucky enough to have taken part in this now one-sided battle. Fierce gray eyes swung around and locked onto her, and the rough voice of the teacher sounded out in a yell. "Where's the wolf and the girl with the red cape?"

Iris could only commit a shrug as an answer, stunned as she was by being bowled over by a dead Grimm, but it was more than enough to convey that the two leaders of their teams were simply not there. "Go, find them! We'll hold the pack here!" Without another word, Slate turned back and began summoning the strange daggers once again, flinging them in several different directions at incredible speed.

Needing no other instruction, Iris gripped the hilt of her blade tightly and straightened to full height. Taking a moment to get her bearings, she faced the way that the missing two had gone and sprinted full tilt in that direction, not even stopping for the Beowulf that turned to meet her. A shrill sound, followed by the thud of an impact and the ripping of torn flesh, announced that the teacher had taken care of the only Grimm near enough to tail her.

Even in the densely populated region of Forever Fall, she made great progress, using her tail to balance her weight and reduce the loss to speed in tight turns around trees. Coming around a rather large specimen of the red-leafed vegetation, she skidded to a stop as a blur of black launched itself in front of her vision. Straightening, the newcomer turned and gave a nod, a silk bow atop the girl's head as she surveyed the drop off ahead. "Blake." Breathing out a sigh of relief, Iris lowered her weapon, bounding forward to stand side by side.

Golden eyes turned to regard her, a small measure of panic identifiable within them. "We should have come across something by now.." The girl kicked at the ground, dislodging a nearby rock that soared out and over the edge of a nearby cliff, clacking against the rock face as it fell. In the aftermath of the sound, they both looked at one another in alarm.

"You don't think.."

* * *

Time seemed to slow as adrenaline thundered through Claire's veins, allowing her to keep fighting and push the stabbing pain in her chest to the back of her thoughts. More importantly, it allowed her to catch the way the Death Stalker's stinger had pulled back in anticipation for the coming attack. Reaching out, she wrapped fingers around the slim arm of the younger combatant, pulling the small girl towards her as she spun away. Protecting the scythe-wielder in a hug, she managed to get them out of harms way at the last moment, dirt exploding around them as the Grimm made its attack.

Just as quickly, she released the girl and turned on a heel. Bringing Staccato Scar across her chest, she struck out at the segmented tail, attempting to sever the stinger with a single blow. Slowed by her injuries, her attack came much too late, blade digging into the dirt as the beast pulled back from them. It was Ruby that saved her from the coming counterattack, the keening of a large scythe reaching her ears as the caped student whirled the massive weapon in a defensive screen.

Charging back into the fray, Claire ducked under the second claw attack, sliding down to a knee and skidding under the armored appendage and through the dirt. When she came up, three monstrous red eyes were flicking to her as the beast made a chittering sound by clacking its jaws together. Saber at her side, she glared into the glowing orbs as her left hand closed about the grip of Packmaster, tearing the pistol from its holster and bringing it to bear.

One burst ruptured the eye on the top right, causing blood to spray outwards and over her as the attack blinded the creature fully on that side. But she refused to relent, moving the barrel of the gun toward the next target in the middle, and squeezing the trigger. Infused with red Dust, the rounds were practically mini explosions to the unprotected flesh of the Grimm's optic organs. Another down, Claire was unprepared and out of time when the force of a claw slammed into her back, driving her forward.

Smashing against the rough bone plate that covered the Death Stalker's head, she lost her grip on Packmaster, sending the pistol skittering across the back of the massive creature as she struggled to recover from the blow. Holding tight to the hilt of her sword, she pulled her right hand back in preparation for a strike, but found the surface she was using to balance herself was slick with the beast's blood. Slipping forward, she abandoned her stab and instead slashed at the mouth just as the Grimm bit at her.

She could feel the way the crystalline edge of the saber sliced into the soft and exposed flesh of the mouth, but there was no time to celebrate the minor victory as she felt the jaws close down on the outside edge of her arm. What little aura she had left that was attempting to keep her upright was immediately spent and shattered as the fangs tore through her skin, her arm saved from being dismembered solely because of the way she had slipped backwards.

Nevertheless, a scream of agony escaped from her lips, matched by the creature's own inhuman squeal as pieces of its tongue fell from between the jagged teeth. Holding her injured arm close to her chest, Claire scrambled to grab at her blade from where it lay in the dirt, but there was not enough time. The Grimm was rearing back for another bite, one that she was ill-equipped to defend against from a prone position. A cloud of rose petals crossed her vision for a moment, but the next thing she saw was the world spinning.

Ruby had used her semblance to dash into the fray, grabbing a hold of the injured Faunus and pulling her from the range of the beast they fought. Urgency had necessitated that caution be thrown into the wind, so she had poured everything she had into her speed on the escape. The result was that they were flung several yards away from the creature as they exploded out from behind the flailing claws. Unable to keep up with her own momentum, she had tripped and sent them both rolling against the ground.

All attempts to correct herself were futile, as she bounced against the ground, producing a yelp with each new bruise that her efforts gained. The spinning of her movements set in a sense of vertigo, one that was only stilled when she slammed her back in full force against a tree. Falling into a pile at the base of the trunk, her fingers grazed the nearby handle of Crescent Rose, but the strength behind them was gone. Unable to power through the daze, her heavy eyelids closed, and darkness rose to greet her once again.

* * *

The scene that Blake stumbled upon was one of utter chaos, as rocks that were dislodged from the massive Grimm's flailing fell from the top of the cliffs and into the ravine they now occupied. She and Iris had followed the ledge until they had found a depth safe enough to jump down into, sprinting until they had arrived here, just in time to see a solid layer of dust and rose petals slowly drifting toward the ground.

But what truly occupied her mind was the crumpled form of her teammate against the base of tree, the gigantic form of a scythe laying nearby. "No." The word escaped her lips without any effort to stall it, and she ran toward the girl without a single thought spared for the half-crazed Death Stalker that was further down the canyon. Sliding down to her knees near Ruby's side, she dropped Gambol Shroud to the side and pulled the girl into her arms.

Clutching desperately at the other brunette, she couldn't help but think of how tiny the girl's frame seemed now. It was not hard to surmise what had befallen her friend, from the shattered bark of the nearby tree and the splinters that were now scattered all around. Panic slowly gave way to relief as she realized that Ruby's chest was still rising and falling, and that small measure of peace allowed her to tune in the rest of the world once again.

"Claire!" The cry originated from behind her, drawing her gaze as she saw Iris pulling the other Faunus from the dirt. Her eyes immediately focused on the blood that was flowing down the wolf-girl's arm and dripping to the ground below, a mess that could easily be three or four gashes evident from bicep to forearm.

"Rose." The word was growled out with a strength that surprised Blake, given how much of a beating it looked like the girl had taken.

"She's alive, over here!" Answering the question without delay, she saw the way both pairs of eyes turned toward her. But the thrashing of their opponent soon drew all gazes.

"It's hurt." Claire was the one that spoke, a bitter resolve masking what had to be a great deal of pain. "Let's finish it off."

Iris, having been supporting her teammate, instead shoved the taller girl in the direction of the fallen scythe-wielder. Protests began immediately when the other Faunus realized what she was doing, but the girl with the bow was ready to silence them. "Watch over Ruby. Iris and I'll finish it off!"

There was no chance for debate, as Blake gently laid Ruby's head on the ground, collecting her discarded weapon and rising to her feet. The wolf Faunus stumbled to a sitting position near her teammate, a defiant glare evident on the rough features, but a nod confirmed that the plan would be followed. Turning her gaze to the fox-girl standing nearby, she received a similar tilt of the head, along with a brilliant grin. "Let's kill this thing."

Digging in a heel as she launched off, Blake saw that the Grimm had recovered enough to sense their coming. With a cry, she spun at the last moment and smashed the wide blade of her weapon's sheath down against the raised claw, funneling force into it to drive the beast back. The second pincer attempted to counter her, only to be set off course by the stabbing tip of a silvered edge, the shrill whistle announcing that Iris had joined the fray.

Launching herself forward and rolling, she felt the wind as the fox Faunus that fought with her jumped over her form, and they switched which claw they were attacking. The maneuver proved effective, forcing each of the appendages further apart and exposing the wounded face of the Death Stalker. Blake could see the bleeding pools of what had been the Grimm's eyes, most now laying utterly destroyed except for the last three beady organs on the left that glanced about frantically in an attempt to keep both of them in it's vision.

Iris avoided a counterattack by flipping to the side, planting down one foot as she came out of the spin and using her momentum to deliver a slash to the back of the offending claw. It did little in the way of damage, the edge of her blade simply insufficient to pierce the heavy armor that covered the natural weapon. What effect it did have was pushing the monster further into the tighter space of the canyon, limiting its options because if its sheer mass.

But the Grimm was refusing to be cornered in such a way, slamming its mass forward and forcing both her and the other girl to stumble back with clumsy blocks. Straightening from her bent position, Iris saw the way that the carapace of the beast's legs pushed against the rock face on each side of the ravine, effectively anchoring it in its current position. To make matters worse, it also gave the creature a steady platform on the otherwise loose dirt, and the stinger reared back. "Blake!"

Her warning was not needed, as the golden orbs of the other girl were already studying the sharpened end of the creature's curved rear. It shot down toward her first, an attack as fast as lightning that was only narrowly avoided as she felt the displaced wind ruffle through the fur of her own tail. It stabbed at them again, this time crushing the space between her and the other girl, and kicking up a screen of dirt as she lost her footing and fell to the ground. Bracing for the indication that the next attack was coming on her poor position, she instead heard the impact several feet away, in the area she had last seen Blake.

Blake was ready for the third strike, already prepared as the stinger stabbed into the dirt next to where she stood, erupting a new fountain of dirt that was sent skyward as the tail retracted. Unfortunately for the beast, she had dug her fingers into the segmented plate of the armored appendage, and hitched a ride above the battle. Releasing her grip as she passed the middle point, she allowed herself to fall, ready for what was coming.

Skidding across the bone that covered the Grimm's back, she pulled the slide back on her pistol, preparing the weapon as she neared the creature's face. It seemed aware of her, beginning to shake in an effort to dislodge its attacker, but she was already too close for it to matter. She drug the edge of the cleaver through the top eye, ripping it to pieces as she activated her semblance. Using the clone as a platform to catapult herself further up the back to repeat the attack, she took another of the glowing orbs as a prize for her efforts. As she moved past the last remaining eye, Blake could feel the utter hatred that was evident in the glowing red of the orb, and flashed a glare of her own as she pointed the barrel directly into it.

Firing off two rounds, she was denied the chance to empty another into it as a force thundered into her chest, throwing her back and smashing her against the heavy claws. Whatever had struck her was strong enough that she was pulled over the edge of the bony pincers and thrown free, tumbling to the ground as she heard the inhuman chittering squeal that emitted from the beast as it lost all sight. Relinquishing her hold on the cleaver sheath, she placed an unsteady hand on the ground and lifted her eyes to the panicking monster.

Six pools of black blood ran down its face now, each of the eyes destroyed and leaving it blind. The stinger, the appendage that was responsible for the pain now flaring through her chest, was swinging back and forth as the beast smashed itself into the canyon walls. With a groan of pain, Blake managed to make it to a kneeling position, but she was far too stunned to finish the creature off now.

That fell to Iris, who ducked under the first wild swing of a claw, feeling the reverberation through her blade as it scraped the bony underside. The next blow came from her left, and forced her to jump and roll in mid air, her back pressing against the Death Stalker's appendage as she cleared it. Landing on her feet, she avoiding the lunging bite attack by launching herself forward onto the plated armor covering the creature.

It bucked beneath her, threatening to dislodge the precarious hold she had established, but Iris managed to scramble upwards. Hooking the fingers of her free hand into the segments of the creature's spinal ridge, she slammed the hilt of her blade into the space between the carapace hide. While the plates of solid bone on most Grimm were nearly impenetrable, the flesh underneath them was known to be weak points.

Hoping that her repeated hammering of that flesh was enough to grab the beast's attention, she activated her semblance and forced the weakened mind of her enemy on one singular objective: To destroy the source of the pain on it's back. Driven to a frenzy by the loss of its six eyes, the Death Stalker was unable to resist the compulsion, and utilized the only weapon available to it at the time.

Iris rolled down the side of the bony back as she saw the golden stinger rear back, keeping her handhold in order to avoid being crushed by the many stamping legs below. Then it came, causing the entire body beneath her own to shudder behind the force as the sharpened tail slammed into the spot she had been attacking. It pulled back and came again, this time splintering the bone that protected the vital organs within the Grimm. Closing her eyes as she felt the resulting shards tear across the surface of her aura, she could do more than hold on and pray that the creature's aim was true.

A third time, the stinger struck the beast. This time it punctured completely through the plate, bringing the shrill screams of the Death Stalker to a much higher note that hurt both pairs of Iris' ears. Her fingers began to slip, the entire effort taking too long. Bringing her semblance to bear once again, she applied an even greater pressure than before, and it was this time that the bounds of sanity were entirely shattered for the Grimm. It's tail began thrashing down in rapid succession, tearing the bone off of it's body and plunging down into the meat below without any sign of stopping.

Feeling the warmth splash against her skin each time the stinger struck, Iris repressed the urge to vomit, holding on as the chest of the creature she rode fell to the ground. Twitching in its final death throes, the Death Stalker's tail withdrew one last time, dripping with the gore from its efforts. Eventually, all movement from the beast stilled, and she took a chance at opening her eyes. The white bone that she had used as a base to strike at her target from was now stained with black and bits of fleshly red.

The spot that she had singled out for the Grimm was nothing more than a ruptured crater in the Stalker's back now, it's lifeblood still draining through the gaping maw as the deadly tail came to a stop above the hole. Satisfied that she would not be subjected to a late bucking motion and thrown free, Iris slowly let the grip of her fingers come loose, slipping off the side of the dead creature and landing to the side of the tangled mess of it's legs.

It was only then that she noticed her breath was coming in ragged gasps, her limbs shaking as she struggled to maintain a hold on Siren Melody. A mixture of fear and disbelief, coupled with the surge of adrenaline that now coursed through her, caused her to lightly stumble as she walked around the corpse of their enemy. What greeted her was two pairs of eyes as wide as her own, as she moved to join them underneath the canopy of the tree.

"Ruby?" She spoke in between intakes of breath, kneeling down next to Claire and laying her gun-blade at her side. Regardless of the question, she focused on the unconscious girl, seeing that the small chest was still moving steadily. A hand snaked its way over her shoulder, pulling her into an unexpected embrace from her teammate.

Blake watched as the two hugged, appreciating in full the way that the wolfish girl was comforting the other Faunus. Ignoring the aching of her own limbs, she reached down to cradle her own teammate, pulling Ruby back into her lap with a heavy sigh. She lost all indication of the outside world as she ran a hand through the soft tresses of the younger girl's bangs, merely happy to enjoy the momentary peace after the hard won battle.

When she came back to her senses, her palm pressed flush against Ruby's cheek, she glanced up to gauge the reactions of the other two girls. What she found was Iris laying against Claire's shoulder, both of their eyes closed as the fox-girl worked to regain her breath. Blake felt the corners of her lips slide upwards at the sight of such a simple friendship, with no words necessary between them, only the offered and accepted comfort. Her thoughts were pulled back to the brunette she held, as the form in her arms stirred.

* * *

"Slate, down here!" Yang's heart pounded within her chest as she heard Weiss' voice shout back toward their substitute teacher. All the other teams had pulled back to the extraction point, protecting the Bullheads, while they had pressed on after the four missing members of their small party. Her little sister was among them, and as such, she had taken a personal interest in slaughtering any of the Grimm that dared to bar their path. The gauntlets of Ember Celica were stained with the oily black blood of her enemies as she marched through the ravine.

Rounding the last of the trees, she felt anger washed away before the tide of pure shock. Towards the end of the canyon was the brutalized corpse of a Death Stalker, it's back opened up the world and it's body only just beginning to disintegrate. The stinger, once a glowing golden color, was now dimmed by the same liquid that covered her own weapons, and dripping with gore. Holes that could have once been eyes were now destroyed fragments of red, streaks of black showing the way that those had bled.

Fingers grazed against her bare leg, and she gazed down into bright pools of indigo. Iris' pale skin clashed gloriously with the blood of the Grimm that was splashed across most of her upper body, one particular spattering covering a cheek and the bridge of her nose. Bending at the knee, Yang gripped the hand that had alerted their presence to her, moving to examine the three others.

Blake was sitting a few feet away, not looking in her direction by at the form in the girl's lap. Her sister was awake, bright silver eyes gazing upwards at the other brunette with an uncertain expression. "Ruby!" Releasing Iris, Yang bounded over to where the younger girl lay, greeted by a small smile and an offered hand. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Yang. Just a nasty hit." The unusually calm in her own voice surprised Ruby, but she suspected a large part of it had to be the comfort that she had been enjoying before the arrival of her older sister. No matter what had transpired between herself and Blake earlier, the other girl seemed to have forgotten it in the moments after she had awakened, watching over her like a dedicated protector. "Claire got the worst of it." Looking past the blonde form in front of her, she pointed a hand in the Faunus' direction.

It was true, as Yang swung her gaze back to the wolf-girl. Brown orbs were set in a hard stare, but the lines at the edges of those eyes were telling of the pain enough. The girl's right arm was a mess of dried blood and caked on dirt, obscuring whatever wound was beneath it as Claire pushed against the trunk of the nearby tree and struggled to stand. "We have to move."

As if signaled by her words, the rest of their teams arrived, skidding to a stop and staring at the same sight that enraptured Yang when the brawler had first got there. They all recovered quickly, turning to render aid where it could be given. Within seconds, everyone was back on their feet, though Claire was the one that required help to remain that way.

Supported by Nyx on her left side, she felt her ride hand taken from where it hung and gently squeezed by much smaller fingers. The shortest member of the strange rescue party was staring up at her with wide eyes, pools of molten yellow and orange that were filled with concern. "I'm fine, no need for it." Gritting her teeth, she tried to make the words sound as convincing as possible, not wanting her teammate to take the hit on this one.

Amber could feel the physical pain that was radiating off of the leader of Team CAIN, and would not be dissuaded, as she pressed the palm of her free hand against the open surface of the wound on Claire's arm. It earned her a hiss, but the much taller girl was far too weak to pull away, as she reached down within and activated her semblance. There came a murmur of gasps as the visual effects manifested first.

From where Ruby stood, she saw the shimmer of aura outline the Pinion girl, but it quickly became something else entirely. The bright orange flames coalesced into a singular shape, a representation of burning wings that erupted from the back of the smaller student's shoulders. The girl's eyes, as well, shook off the illusion and became literally pools of fire, and she witnessed the effect of such a semblance firsthand.

The blood that covered Claire's arm began to recede, returning to the gashes that the Death Stalker had bitten into the limb, and then those wounds themselves began to close. Flesh knitted together as if it was being repaired by an aura, but Ruby could see that what was happening was much more complex.

Like a mirror, the right forearm of the girl healing the wolf Faunus began to open, spilling out trickles of blood that slowly turned into more serious rivers as the small audience watched in silence. When it was done, the fires of the power faded away, leaving Amber sagging the strong arms of the girl that had just been healed. "..What?"

Ruby had merely stated the question that was on everyone's minds, watching as Nyx let go of his team leader and took up supporting his twin sister instead. She watched as Claire straightened, looking as if she had only been rolling in dirt, and had never been injured in the first place. The Faunus' eyes turned to regard her, a frown evident upon the taller girl's lips. "It's her semblance, 'Empathic Wish'. She can take any wound and make it her own, even when asked not to." Biting the last few words of the sentence, the wolf-girl's voice lacked the conviction to craft them into a reprimand, clearly thankful for the relief.

Turning her gaze to Amber, Ruby watched as sparks of aura worked to close the gashes at an unusual speed. The unorthodox healer offered a sheepish, pained smile to the Faunus. "Now you don't hurt."

A sigh came from the wolf-girl, but it seemed as if Claire could not argue that point, instead giving a grudging touch on Amber's shoulder. "Touching, but we've got to go." Slate interrupted the moment, stepping into the center of the two teams and capturing the attention of all the students. "Extraction won't wait forever, and if those numbers of Grimm are any indication, we've got more on the way." Stepping past the tree where they had found the wayward for, she sped to a quick walk in the direction to get out of the ravine. "Move out!"

Distracted as she was, even the trained Huntress missed the form that sped deeper into the treeline.

* * *

Roman Torchwick twirled his cane on two fingers as he stared at the map of Vale. Markings made the document all but useless for its intended purpose, as each street, each city block, was covered with writing describing the opportune times for striking. Other markings told of the police presence in the area, or how rich the citizens were. Most of it was his own handwriting, though some of it was in a much more graceful hand. That of his associate, who sat on a crate nearby with her legs crossed, tapping the tip of her umbrella against the concrete floor of the complex. Forever Fall was a beautiful forest, but its sprawling depths hid far more than a few Grimm if one knew where to look, and his employer had known exactly where to find this base.

"Speak of the devil.." Turning and stilling the rotating motion of his weapon, he saw the raven-haired beauty step through the entrance, trailed on each flank by her own personal assassins. Another followed after her, a woman who brought a sneer to her lips as he saw the pair of wolf ears atop her head. "I see we've gone ahead with recruiting the animals."

A growl answered his insult, and though he only smiled at the Faunus, he did not admit that a threat from one such as her would be sufficiently terrifying to shut him up. She stood at an even height with him, her form concealed by a black cloak that was pulled about it. What was truly unsettling was the eye-patch that covered the left side of her face. Bone white and painted with a blood spatter, the slits where her eye should have been gave it a bestial appearance, and signaled her as a member of the White Fang. "Hush, Roman."

It was his employer, Cinder Fall, who quieted the brewing argument. "I take it that we haven't been discovered by the unexpected field trip, then?" They had closed down all operations the second reports had flooded in about the Beacon students being sent into the forest, and though it had been entertaining watching the Grimm descend down upon them, Roman was eager to get business back on track.

"Of course, Ruan here confirmed that the last of them have left." Every word was practically dripping with a husky tone as Cinder moved past the Faunus and drug a finger over the woman's cheek. It earned her a grin from the White Fang member, and a wink from the single blood red eye that was apparent on the pretty face. Turning back to face the master thief, she set a hand on a hip and cocked her head to the side. "I want you to take our new allies down to the docks in two days. The shipment from Atlas should arrive then, where you can take possession of it."

"And I'm supposed to trust these.." He tossed a glance in the Faunus' direction, and Ruan returned it with a glare. With that exchange, Roman slid his gaze back to Cinder. "People? Based on what, your recommendation?"

"So far, you have been unable to find a sufficient source of manpower. Now you have one." The woman sauntered closer, each step causing her hips to sway seductively as she came within inches of him. "Don't question it, just obey me. And you'll make it out of this arrangement much more wealthy than before.." At the last moment, Cinder turned away from him, a dark chuckle emanating from the vicious woman. "And if you're lucky, I'll let you keep your head."

* * *

**Author's Note: I've been sick, so please forgive spelling mistakes.. I'll do my best to give this a genuine edit once I wake up. Woo, villains! So much for the 6k limit for chapters though.. So much fighting, so little time. Anyway, hope you like this chapter! If you'd like to see the drawing of Ruan's mask, check out the link to my DeviantArt in my profile. If you like the story, feel free to recommend it to your friends, or drop me a review with your thoughts, I love hearing from you! -Fox**

**Thanks to Mogwai Muse for your review, I appreciate the support and kind words, and I can only hope that my story continues to live up to your expectations. You rock!**

**Update: As I was writing the beginning to the next chapter, I realized that my iPad(which I used to write the majority of this story) was correcting 'Crescent Rose' to 'Crimson Rose'. Which is the name of Ruby's weapon in my Cyberpunk AU.. So.. That's fixed in all the chapters. Sorry about that!**


	8. Unkind Truth

_**Roses &amp; Thorns **_**– Volume 1 – Chapter 8**

**-Unkind Truth-**

* * *

Ozpin masked his emotions well. It was a skill that had taken a long time to perfect, but the result was a practiced equilibrium that could not be upset. At least, others would not be able to see that it was. The only manifestation of what he now felt was the blood draining from his knuckles as he tightened his grip on the handle of the cane. Beacon Academy's three landing pads were especially busy today, as the half dozen Bullheads that had been dispatched with the students now returned, the majority of the children carrying at least minor injuries.

It was his misstep that had caused this, a blind arrogance that had come from years of victory over a force of Grimm that had seemed to be waning. Now the monsters were back, and in greater numbers if the early reports were any indication. A hand touched against the back of his elbow, a gentle reminder that he was not standing alone. On his right side was the woman that had attempted to console him, Glynda Goodwitch, her glasses hanging low on her nose.

"Bloody hell.." The words came from his left, where a younger woman stood. Relatively new to the Huntress profession when compared to himself and Glynda, Dawn Sheppard was usually a cheerful and loud Faunus. The expression of horror written upon her features was well in line with what he felt in that moment, turning back to examine the wounded children that stepped off the aircraft. "What was she thinking?"

Even as the woman was mentioned, Ozpin saw the familiar short haircut of coal black tresses appear in the bustling crowd. Separating from the pack, Memphis Slate marched over to him with the ever present glare evident on her features. "Ozpin, Goodwitch." Nodding in greeting, she turned her gaze at last to the final member of the small party. The blonde Faunus cracked a rueful grin in her direction, one that she met with a sneer. "Dawn. Still avoiding actual field work, I see."

That washed the smile away. "Slate. Good to see you're still a right bastard."

"Make yourself useful, will you?" Jerking a thumb over her shoulder, she pointed toward the craft she had just disembarked from, which was now unloading the wounded and exhausted members of Teams RWBY and CAIN. Tufted ears twitched in agitation at the suggestion, but the Faunus didn't waste any more time with her, stepping past and jogging toward the landing pad as Slate turned her attention back to the headmaster and the other Huntress. "You were right, they were there. But my projections for the count of Grimm were.. Not accurate."

Taking one long, hard look at the students that were now offloaded and either milling about the area or heading toward the infirmary, Ozpin let the grip on his cane relax a small amount. "Not here, Slate. We'll talk in my office. Glynda, I want a report on the injuries as soon as possible." As he began to turn, he saw a pair of bright silver eyes rise up and meet his gaze, sending another wave of guilt through him as he saw the way the girl gingerly walked with the help of her teammates.

* * *

Holding a bandage to the gashes on her arm, Amber made no noise of complaint when she was led from the bay of the Bullhead by her twin brother. The tall boy kept glancing sideways at her, as if he thought that she had not noticed the extreme worry he was concealing within. As obvious as his furtive looks were, she did not need them, the radiation of concern through her sibling's aura more than enough to alert her to his feelings.

That sense of worry emanating from her twin quickly turned to one of anger as she was scooped out of his arms by an older woman that had run up to the aircraft, lifting her clear of the ground and holding her as easily as one would a small child. Not that there was much difference, considering her size. "I got her, mate." Amber gazed up into sky blue eyes that turned to regard her, finding that the one that had taken possession of her was a Faunus. The ears above the woman's sandy blonde hair looked almost catlike, but had a longer, more elegant style to them. "Hey there, name's Dawn. Lets get you all to the infirmary, yeah?"

Turning back to face her flustered brother, she flashed a small smile at the boy. Her savior, however, seemed less inclined to amuse Nyx, instead nodding in the direction of the other students. "Go help the prissy girl with the little.. Uh, red one, will ya?"

Ruby perked up when she noticed that she was mentioned, her eyes locking with pools of an unbelievably bright blue. The Huntress gave only a half-smile and lifted slender shoulders in a helpless shrug. "Never knew half the names of my own class, can't expect me to know yours. C'mon now, lets get a move on, get this place cleared out!"

* * *

Claire rubbed the back of her hand against her forehead, only causing dirt that was caked onto her skin to mix further with sweat and combine into a muddy texture. Standing against the wall outside the infirmary, she glared at the nurse that was checking her vitals. An impatient foot tapped ceaselessly against the tiled floor. "Look, I already told you. Amber healed me, I'm fine. Go help someone who needs it." The older woman pulled away with a surprised expression, looking for a moment as if a scolding was in order, before deciding to simple heed her advice and move on. "..Finally."

Free from the probing clutches of the nurse, she pushed through the door and headed down towards the end of the crowded room. Every single one of the many beds was now taken by the worst of the injuries, or rather, those that had sustained wounds past the breaking of their auras. The final two beds were taken by familiar faces. The first was the smallest of her teammates, Amber, who was watching with a macabre interest as the overhead scanner revealed the cracks along her ribs.

The sight of the injury caused Claire to cringe as she studied it, realizing that they were the result of her own actions, sustained from the fall after she and Rose had escaped from the pack of beowulves. She had seen the effect of the girl's semblance before, during her time at Impetus Academy. From the sidelines, she had seen the scratches and bruises disappear from hurt students and appear again on Amber's body. It was then that she had began to understand the personality of the Pinions. Nyx was always by his sister's side, always a watchful protector.

Claire supposed it made perfect sense when that sister was a martyr who couldn't help but feel all the pain that every other person carried within them. She had been a blank page to Amber from day one, watched like a hawk by the quiet girl and studied. When she had arrived at Beacon, the Pinions had greeted her with a nod from Nyx, and a tight embrace from his twin accompanied by a bright smile.

Always sacrificing her own happiness and well-being, always looking out for those around her with not a shred of regard for herself. Claire found a sense of admiration for Amber after that realization, and none of it reduced the amount of gratitude she felt for the girl taking away her earlier wounds. Stepping between the two beds, she set a gentle hand on the slender shoulder of her bedridden teammate, receiving a cheeky grin from the girl in return.

Turning to face the other bed, Claire watched as the blonde Faunus that had escorted them from the landing pad pressed the bell of a stethoscope to the chest of Ruby Rose. Listening intently as the instrument was moved around, the doctor's expression remained a practiced neutral for the duration of the examine.

Eyes of a brilliant argent color turned to regard Claire as the doctor moved on to the girl's back, and a small smile spread across the pale lips of the younger student. The girl's mouth opened, then immediately closed with a glance back at the Faunus performing the examination, indicating that the brunette had been quieted during the procedure before now. Waiting patiently, she gave a nod and let her gaze slide over the rest of the gathered students.

Blake Belladonna stood directly behind the doctor, a poor mask of calm over the girl's face as golden eyes filled with intense worry. Those piercing orbs glanced up in her direction, bringing a curt nod that she returned with one of her own, the memory of how the agile girl had saved her hide still fresh in her mind. Standing near the corner of the infirmary bed was Ruby's partner, Weiss Schnee. If the heiress' expression was any indication, Claire was still far out of her good graces, as the glare leveled her way was one not far from pure hatred.

At the foot of the bed was the older sibling of the girl being examined, the brawler that rivaled her in height. Yang's arm was draped over the slim frame of her own partner, holding Iris close. The other Faunus looked completely worn out, the black tips of her fox ears drooping as she leaned into the nearby blonde heavily.

Iris was drenched in the dried remains of the Death Stalker that they had fought, the oily black blood now caked on across much of the fox-girl's torso. Splashes of it had coated the pale skin of her partner's neck and face, creating a fiercely clashing contrast. Violet eyes snapped up to her for a moment, and she saw the distress evident there. It seemed that the girl was still shaken from the day's ordeals, and Claire found it hard to blame her. "It sounds like your lungs are having some strife taking in air." The doctor's words shocked all of the attended students to attention, immediately focusing on the older woman. "So I'd like to keep ya for a few more tests, yeah?"

Ruby relaxed back into the soft pillows of the bed in a sitting position, staring up at the beaming expression of the woman. "Whatever you think is best, Doctor.." She stumbled on the word, searching for a name tag or any other identifier. Her search came up empty, forcing her to look up with a nervous smile and a shaky laugh.

"My name is Dawn, but most 'round here just call me Dr. Sheppard." The Faunus' grin only grew at her discomfort, and a light chuckle came from the older woman. Ruby took the chance to study the Doctor, from the casual clothing with a white coat thrown haphazardly over it, to the tufted tips of feline ears. The woman was beautiful, with soft features and eyes of clear blue, and her bedside manner was definitely a plus. "Give ya a minute to talk with your friends, but they'll have to clear out soon. 'Kay?"

A hand patted her leg affectionately, and with that the Doctor rose and walked away, leaving Ruby under the stares of five other girls. Shifting nervously under their gazes as she looked from one to another, she chose to break the silence with a weak joke. "Well, I'm not dying. That's good news."

It earned a wide grin from Yang, who gave a hearty laugh, and a few other chuckles. The only one silent was Iris, who merely cracked a tiny smile at her effort. "Always." It was Claire who responded to her words, moving up to the side of the bed. The wolf-girl was rough looking at the best of times, all wild hair and torn clothing. But right now, covered in dirt that was mixed with either sweat or Grimm blood, the Faunus looked downright ragged. "Listen, I uh.. I just wanted to say thanks. If you hadn't pulled me out of those claws, I'd probably be dead."

Ruby grinned up at the way the tough-as-nails fighter was nervously rubbing the back of a shaggy mane, the movement causing the brown hair to reveal more of the dark red streaks that ran through its locks. "No problem, Claire. You took a few hits for me too." Feeling the blush of embarrassment begin to heat the surface of her cheeks, she continued on, unable to filter herself. "O-Of course if I had kept control you wouldn't have been thrown like that.. And I wouldn't have hit that tree. At least, not that hard."

The memory brought an involuntary wince, one that was shared by the Faunus. "Don't sweat it, Rose. We got out of there alive, that's what matters." A heavy hand clapped down on her shoulder, gripping it tightly for a moment before it released her.

"She wouldn't have been in danger if you hadn't tossed her off that cliff, you know?" It was her partner who broke up their conversation, causing her to swing her gaze over to the platinum haired girl that was glaring daggers at the wolf-girl on the other side of the bed. "It was your recklessness that got yourself and her into that situation. Get yourself killed if you want, but do _not _drag my teammate down with you!"

"You know, Schnee, I'm getting real tired of your bitchy at-"

"Whoa, okay!" Ruby watched as Yang cut off the angry comment from Claire, her older sister glancing between the two opposing sides with an exasperated look. "How about we calm down and just be glad we got out of there without anyone dying, okay?"

A low growl came from the wolf Faunus, but the girl gave a grudging nod. Yang then looked to Weiss, who made a scoffing noise and turned on a heel, marching towards the exit of the infirmary. There was a pause as the uncomfortable aftermath settled over their group, the sensation remaining even as the silence was broken. "Uh, sorry Rose.. I'm gonna go get some time in at the practice fields before its too dark.. Try to cool off or something." Claire followed the way of the heiress, leaving her to look over at her sister.

Yang gave a helpless shrug, turning to look at the Faunus she had been holding. "And we need to get you to a shower." Iris turned to her with wide eyes, an eyebrow cocked upward in surprise. "You're a mess, Vex. Come on." Replacing the arm that had been draped over the fox-girl's shoulder, she steered the other student toward the exit of the room. "Later, Rubes!"

"Later, Yang!" Calling out after the blonde, it earned her a shush from the nurse attending to Amber Pinion in the next bed down, causing her to cringe and sigh. Moving to relax back into the pillows and wait to be released, Ruby froze when she realized that the departure of the last two had left her completely alone with Blake.

The girl hadn't said much since the canyon, when she had awakened in the arms of her teammate, cradled gently and looked after with a concern that seemed much more intimate than simple friendly worry. In fact, Ruby had been unsure that they would ever speak again, given the way things had been between them since Blake had ran from the dorm earlier that day. She remained still, somehow afraid that the slightest movement or quietest word would spook the other and cause her to flee.

She did not have to wait long, as the taller girl meandered over with slow steps, seeming as nervous as Ruby felt. Slender fingers slid under her own, entwining their hands as Blake came to a stop at the side of the bed. "Wh-When I saw you lying there under that tree.." She was absolutely enraptured with the cute way that her teammate was fretting over the words, unable to do more than grip the offered hand like a lifeline. It took a moment, but finally the golden eyes slid up to meet her gaze, a new look of determination within the gorgeous orbs. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Alright, I need everyone who has already been checked to clear out!" Ruby felt her chest fall after the sudden anticipation that her teammate had instilled within her, snapping her gaze to the Dr. Sheppard, who was clapping loudly to expedite the process of removing those not needed in the infirmary. "C'mon, move your asses."

Turning back and gripping Blake's hand with a desperate squeeze, she stared into the other girl's eyes as she spoke. "Tell me later?" She refused to release her teammate until she received a confirmation in the form of a nod.

"Later.." The word lingered in the space between them, as Blake made a movement like she was amount to move closer, but then paused. A light touch on the hand that was being held was all Ruby got before the other girl released her, moving away with a single glance back.

* * *

"They're in there alright. At least three scouts, all Faunus. Retreated before I could get a good look, but did not know I was aware of their presence.. As you ordered." Slate paced the length of the Headmaster's office with an agitated gait, flicking her wrists and extending her fingers. More of an unconscious habit than a nervous one, it was the same motion that would cause the Dust crystals contained within her gloves to generate her throwing blades, if she had channeled aura through them. Rounding on Ozpin with a snarl, she glared at the older man. "I should have gone in alone! I could have killed the guards and confirmed the location of their base."

"No." The firm rejection was enough to stop her movements through the room, collecting herself as she realized who it was she was actually talking to. Straightening some, Slate watched as the older Huntsman pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "It was necessary for you to a have a larger force in order to give you the best chance to complete your mission. We know that they are there, and they are none the wiser."

"You used the kids as a distraction." It wasn't an accusation, really. Slate understood the need for such things, but the revelation that Ozpin shared that view of the world set her off balance.

"We cannot play all our cards right away." Turning away from her, the Huntsman stared out the window as the hands of the clock continued their incessant ticking. "We must scout, and probe. We need to know our enemy's strength before we commit to this war, and if that enemy is unaware that we are preparing for them.." Glancing back over his shoulder, Ozpin spoke the next words slowly. "We may suffer casualties today in order to suffer less later."

"Though we were lucky." The commanding voice of Goodwitch joined them, as the older woman marched into the room unannounced. "No casualties, and no injuries that will leave lasting effects. Team JNPR suffered the worst of it, but I am certain Ms. Nikos will be fully recovered in a few weeks."

Shrugging as she turned back to regard the Headmaster, Slate let a grin spread over her face. "All in all, I'd say it was worth it, then. Could have been worse. We know where they are, the kids got some real training."

"It was worth it this time." Ozpin's voice had taken on a wearied tone, as he moved towards his desk. Gripping the back of the chair waiting there, he supported himself on the furniture as well as his cane. "The enemy gathers their strength in secret bases, and here we are, marching children into battles they know nothing about."

His words caused Slate to fall silent, but Glynda tapped on the screen of her scroll a few times before looking back up at him. "There is one other matter I'd like to bring to your attention.. Teams RWBY and CAIN. Their performance in the field was exemplary, as you suspected it would be."

"If the rumors are to be believed, four members of both teams killed a Death Stalker?" Ozpin turned his gaze upon the younger of the two Huntresses, whose gray eyes met his with an eager fire to them.

Slate grinned, thinking back to when she had found the wayward students in the ravine. "Saw it myself. If I had to guess, they found a way to make the thing stab itself to death with it's stinger. Gruesome, but it got the job done."

"That would be Ms. Vex's work, if I'm not mistaken." Glynda glanced between him and the other woman, then looked to her scroll. "Would you like me to send you the relevant recordings that were captured?"

"Yes, thank you Glynda." Letting go of the chair and moving back towards the window, Ozpin let out a heavy sigh. "And thank you, Memphis. You are both dismissed."

* * *

Iris wiped a hand across the mirror of her team's bathroom, revealing her reflection through the fog that the hot water had caused. Her face was once again clear, it's pretty features showing through without any sign of the Death Stalker's blood left upon it. Bringing that same hand to her forehead, she pushed the few wayward locks of hair from her vision, enjoying the silken feel to the tresses that came from a fresh shower.

Her usual outfit was in a pile near the door, and each item of clothing was going to need a thorough wash to return it to a usual color. For now, she wore a loose white t-shirt and a pair of shorts, the soft fabric cut at the back to allow room for her tail. Raking a hand through her hair and purposefully messing with the tidiness of it, she styled it as best she could before turning to exit the tiled room, stepping out into her dorm with a contented sigh. The warmth of the water had done wonders for her sore muscles, and banished away the last of the shakiness left in the wake of killing the Grimm in Forever Fall.

Heading for her bed, Iris kept a steady gaze on the ground until she saw the brown boots waiting at the edge of Claire's bed. Blinking as she looked up, she found herself staring into bright lilac eyes and a radiant smile. "Enjoy your shower? You really took your time." She couldn't help but grin back at the blonde, letting out a soft chuckle as she ducked her head in a nod. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay, and thank you for saving my sister."

"Well, you know, Blake blinded the thing.." Iris wrung her hands together and found herself staring at the floor as she spoke, her gut churning with nervousness at the thought of the brawler being concerned about her. "I just finished it off."

"Are you.. Being modest?" The surprise in Yang's voice caused her to glance up, that devilishly playful grin still playing across the beautiful girl's lips. All thoughts turned to jelly at the sight of it, slipping through her grasp as if she had never owned them in the first place. "Never thought I'd see the day."

"Well, it's been a long one." Try as she might, Iris was not able to stop the sheer tired tone that crept into her voice and made what was supposed to be a jest into a statement of truth. No matter what her usual attitude was, the amount that had transpired in the last sixteen or so hours was enough to put even her out of commission. But not Yang, whose undying energy was reinvigorating her even now. "Thank you for coming to check on me."

"I told you, I came to thank you for saving my sister." The sly grin on the blonde's face was almost criminal as the brawler reached out and pulled her closer. Iris' bare feet stumbled over the carpet in an effort to keep up until she landed in the other girl's lap, her tail rising up on its own accord as she let out a sound more akin to a giggle than the laugh she intended.

With her face mere inches away from the other girl, Iris felt her cheeks light up in a blush as the blonde let out a hearty laugh at the sound she had made. The feeling of warmth continued to spread, but not just from her own body's reaction to being in such proximity to the beauty. Yang was warm, warmer than a normal person for sure. Fiery was a word that could describe the brawler in normal circumstance, but it seemed that it was more of an apt description than she had first guessed.

Palms that grazed against the exposed skin between her shirt and shorts left a lasting sensation of heat, causing the pale white skin to turn a softer pink color before those hands settled on the back of her hips. The feeling caused a groan to escape unbidden from her lips, one that she defiantly turned into a playful growl as she wrapped both arms around the sturdy shoulders of the other girl. "I bet you thank all the girls like this."

"Just the ones I like." The sly answer sealed the blonde's fate as Iris leaned in, letting their lips meet gently at first. Testing the waters was the idea, but she soon found herself pulled in, adjusting so that her knees were on the bed while she straddled the brawler's lap. As the kiss deepened, she pressed closer and closer against the form beneath her, reveling in the incredible warmth that seemed to course through Yang's body. A moment later she broke the kiss, leaned past the girl's shoulder with a shuddering gasp as she felt fingers entwine in the fur of her tail and softly pull.

"What's the matter?" The words in her ear were whispered in a low, husky voice. "I thought you liked a little bite with your kisses." Iris met the challenge by baring her teeth and nipping at the blonde's neck, eliciting a deep groan of pleasure as a tongue darted out to lick at the area she had bit before she pulled back. Grinning from ear to ear at the expression on Yang's face, she was so utterly engaged in the current activities that she didn't realize they were no longer alone.

A clearing of a throat alerted them both, causing her to jump and crane her head to get a good look at the doorway. "Not that I don't approve.." Claire was standing there, still covered in dirt and now bearing streaks of sweat through the grime, an amused smile on the girl's face. "But could you not do that on my bed? It tends to leave a very distracting scent."

A noise of confusion came from the girl beneath Iris as she felt her cheeks light up again, caught in such a compromising situation and having completely forgot that they were still on the bottom bunk. "Right.. The wolf thing." Struggling to keep herself from falling on top of Yang completely, she let out a soft chuckle. "Sorry, Claire."

"Don't sweat it. Have fun, you two." A playful wink was thrown their way as the girl turned the corner and entered the bathroom, the sound of a lock catching just a moment later. Iris remained frozen until the sound of the shower started up before turning back to the blonde she had been kissing.

"The 'wolf thing'?"

Yang's question caused her to blanch before letting out a soft, unsteady laugh. "Yeah.." Iris thought for a moment before deciding on a way to explain it. "It's a Faunus thing, really. Most of us can see at night, some of us get other things. Claire can sniff out damn near anyone or anything. Unfortunately, things like this.." She glanced down and then back up to indicate that she was speaking about their current activities. "Leave a pretty distinctive scent that, um.. Let's go with 'excites' her. We never could do anything in her bed."

Despite having grumbled out the last part, she became distinctly aware of what she had said after saying it, turning her gaze back to focus on the blonde. "You did know that Claire and I used to.. Right?"

A laugh filled the air as Yang gave a nod. "I'm not exactly blind, Iris."

"Oh, good." Letting her lips part in a smile once again, she bent down and kissed the girl a final time before pushing away. "Shame. I don't think we can pull this position off on the top bunk.."

"We could always ask Blake if we can use her bed?" The suggestion came with the wagging of eyebrows, an expression so ridiculous that it caused her to fall back against the blonde laughing. If the gesture hadn't already, the way Iris devolved into giggles against the chest of the other girl completely killed whatever shred of an intimate mood still remained between them.

* * *

A sigh slipped through Ruby's lips as she stared at the dull white ceiling. She hated this room more and more with each passing minute, but not because of the color scheme. The various groans and screams of pain that had filled the hall when she had first been escorted in here were now silent, but the memory of them remained as strong as the coppery taste of blood that lingered in the air. Nearly every student had suffered some sort of injury. Some had broken bones from nasty falls during hasty retreats, while others were now wearing heavy bandages that covered gruesome wounds inflicted by the Grimm.

And she was stuck here for not being able to breathe at an entirely normal rhythm when she had first arrived. Dr. Sheppard had said something about tests, but that was a couple of hours ago. So Ruby lay there, forgotten amidst the chaos that had been understaffed nurses and doctors caring for close to thirty wounded teenagers. For a while, she had occupied herself with letting her imagination fill in the shapes caused by imperfections in the ceiling tiles, but that had grown dull after she had mapped out her small corner of the room. She had thought to talk with Amber, only to find the girl either asleep or knocked unconscious by the medication that had been given to her.

Ruby had laid there in silence after that, slowly growing more and more anxious as time went by. From the quiet that had settled over the infirmary, most of the wounded had fallen asleep as well, leaving her to stray thoughts and wild speculation about what Blake could have possibly wanted to tell her. She scoffed as her mind drifted back to the topic, hoping that whatever it was would be an explanation to the strangeness between them. She certainly didn't understand it with just her side of things.

The familiar tapping of a cane alerted her to the Professor that was approaching her bed, bidding her to sit up and meet the studious gaze emanating from the warm brown eyes. "Ms. Rose. I'm glad I caught you before you nodded off, I had a question for you that came up during my perusal of the field reports." She blinked once, tilting her head to the side with a confused expression. She certainly didn't remember submitting a report. "From the Bullhead pilots and Memphis Slate."

"Oh." The explanation caused her curiosity to only skyrocket as she leaned forward, drawing her legs in to sit in a more comfortable position. "Then what can I help you with, Professor?"

"It may have just been from the point of view from the recordings, but I want you to think back to when you and Ms. Briar were cornered on that cliff above the canyon." The man stepped closer, setting his signature cane against the side of her bed as he took a long draw from the liquid contained within the mug in his hand. "But from what I saw, she used her own body as a shield for you. Was that the only instance of such a protective instinct?"

"Well, I.." Ruby faded out of the present as she thought back to the fight that had raged through the forest, focusing on the actions of the older student that had been by her side. It did not take long to answer his question, snapping her focus back to the older man. "No, no it wasn't. It seemed like every time there was a Grimm that was too close or about to hit me, Claire either pulled me away or stepped in front of it.." Those words brought up another thought along the same line, one that caused her to gasp before voicing. "I think she got hit a few times because of it, too.."

The Professor revealed nothing as he stood before her, taking another sip from his mug and acting as if she had merely pointed out that the weather was mild outside. "I thought as much. May I?" Pointing at the edge of the bed, the man waited until she gave an affirming nod before he sat upon the corner, easing into it as if it took a great weight from him to be off his feet. "It seems Ms. Briar, Claire, took an interest in your well-being during your excursion into Forever Fall. Why do you think that is?"

Trying not to feel nervous from the way the man leveled that inquisitive gaze her way, Ruby gave a shrug of her shoulders after thinking for a moment. "I don't know. Maybe it's because she still feels guilty about hurting Weiss?"

"Oh, I'm sure she does. But it does not match her character to project that guilt onto you, even as Ms. Schnee's partner." Ozpin was quiet a moment before he looked back to her and explained. "Claire is, at heart, a direct individual. She measures each person in her mind as a separate entity, and thus has a clear judgment on most things. A useful skill, to be sure, and yet she was throwing herself into harms way to protect you. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but you and she are not previously friends, are you?"

"No, I'd never met her before I came here." Ruby felt a sense of distress flood through her system as she examined the earlier combat with a more critical eye, realizing just how reckless the Faunus girl had been. "She could have gotten herself killed at least a dozen times, but she was always making sure that I was okay.. Why would she do that?"

"Perhaps that is a question you should ask her yourself, though I'd be interested to know the answer myself." Rising from the bed, Ozpin took up his cane once again and turned to face her. "You may end up having better luck than myself in opening her shell. You see, Ms. Rose, I want to help Claire with her temper. But.. I sense that there is much of her past that is simply too painful to share with someone as dissimilar to herself as I am. I would like you to try, if you have the chance, to connect with her. Can you do that for me?"

"Of course, Professor. I mean.. I'd like to help her however I can. I owe her a lot after today."

Her words brought a soft chuckle from the older Huntsman. "From what I heard, she owes you as well. At any rate, thank you, Ruby." Turning a half step towards the exit, Ozpin halted and looked back. "And you need not remain here any longer. Dawn has assured me that you are physically fit to leave, though I asked for the chance to speak with you first."

Left with a whirlwind of thoughts as the Professor walked off, Ruby shook her head and swung her legs over the edge of her bed. As much as she wanted to dwell on what the Headmaster thought she could do for Claire, the singular drive to learn what Blake had wanted to tell her overrode that, directing her onward as she following in his footsteps towards the exit.

* * *

"Why won't you just admit that you're an ignorant spoiled brat whose actual experience with Faunus is next to none?!" Yang slid her gaze helplessly over to her own partner, watching from the sidelines as Blake yelled at the nearby heiress. She couldn't even remember how the argument had reignited this time, but it had been brewing since she had returned from CAIN's dorm room. Vaguely, she recalled some mention of Claire putting Ruby in danger from Weiss, and that had ignited a much larger powder keg. Giving a heavy sigh from where she sat, there was no small amount of regret in her mind at leaving the comfort of Iris' arms in order to return to this.

Despite the volume both girls were using, they were little more than inches apart, and snarling like animals as they glared at one another. "I have _plenty_ experience with the Faunus, thank you very much!" Weiss' rebuttal was spoken with a sharp tongue, and accompanied by a growing anger that caused the girl's clenched fists to begin shaking. "Enough to know that every one I met before coming here wanted nothing more than to harm me and my family!"

"Can you blame them?! Schnee Dust has a list of offenses against the entire race as long as a Seraph's wings!" Her partner referencing the large airships like the one that had transported them to Beacon on their first day caused Yang to cringe, knowing that what was coming was sure to escalate the current conflict to a new level. "Unfair wages and unpaid hours, and that's just the side of the company that is in the public light. Don't even get me started on the underside of it; Slavery, torture, mutilation, and murder!"

"Perhaps some of the business partners engaged in such things, but my father would never condone such actions, even against their kind!" The heiress held her ground against the onslaught, but Yang could see the shimmer of tears appearing the girl's pale blue eyes. Heightened emotions were beginning to get to both participants in the verbal combat, and it showed in the way the way Weiss' voice cracked. "For years we've dealt with attacks from the White Fang. Every time I went outside, I had to have a security escort or I'd end up like my uncle. He was gutted in the middle of the street walking home one night, then hung on a street light and painted with the symbol of that terrorist group!"

"Or the various board members who vanished into thin air, only to reappear day after day in tiny pieces!" Surprising both of them, the smaller heiress slammed her palms into Blake's shoulders, shoving her back. "Or my mother, who was murdered at a benefit she was holding to help the Faunus kids orphaned by a mine collapse! So don't tell me that I'm ignorant, that I just don't know about the reality of their situation. I know they suffer, I know they have reason to hate my family, but I don't care!"

Those last words finally broke the dam that was holding back the tears in the heiress' eyes, and the beginning wave streamed down her cheeks as she choked back a sob. "I don't care.. I hope the White Fang burns for what they've done. They're nothing but a blight on the world. An organization of thieves, and murderers! No matter what good they might have done, they all deserve to die now!"

"All of them?!" Yang blinked as her partner renewed the assault, shock filling her once again as she turned to see Blake shove the other girl back. She had been certain that the revelation of Weiss' reasons would have caused the argument to cease, but if anything, it added more fuel to the fire. "And you wonder why they hate humanity? You wonder why we had to resort to such violent measures to gain even a shred of equality? It's because of people like you!"

"..'We'?" The single word snapped all three of their gazes to the door, to where the leader of their team was standing, staring at Blake with an expression the spelled hurt and no small measure of confusion. Realizing that she had outed herself, she saw Weiss turn a cold glare back in her direction from the corner of her eyes, as the heiress realized the implications of the slip. Even her partner, who had been silent up until that point, let out a noise of surprise.

"I-I.." There was no escaping it now, the truth that had been revealed on the whim of her own anger, that she was a Faunus and a member of the White Fang. Blake only lasted a single second under the vicious gaze of the teary-eyed Schnee heiress, unable to look her teammate in the eye after what she had learned about the girl's past. She tried to look anywhere else, somewhere that would allow her a brief respite to collect her thoughts and try to explain herself, but all she could do was turn and stare into the pools of silver that waited near the door. It was those eyes that truly crushed all inklings of hope she held in her heart that this situation could be salvaged, and so she did what had always come naturally to her: She ran.

Shoving past Ruby, she was out of the room in a flash, faster than any of the other students could have ever hoped to react while they were reeling from her revelation. "Blake! Wait, stop!" Sprinting down the hall, she forced herself to ignore the calls from the younger girl as she rounded a corner. It wasn't long before she was blinded by tears, and each breath came with a heaving sob, but her pace never slowed.

The hallways were mercifully empty at the late hour, and she soon found herself skidding to a stop to avoid tripping over the pedestal that stood before the statue that had once welcomed her to Beacon. Sliding her gaze up to it as her entire body shuddered in an ugly sob, she saw the heroic pose of the Huntsman atop the cliff, along with the cloaked companion wielding an ax by his side. It had once represented what she had wanted in the future. To have the skill and friends necessary to change the world.

It seemed laughable now, as she reached up and tore the binding that held her bow in place, ripping the ribbon from its seat. She felt her second set of ears perk up as the cool night air drifted through the fur, but a feeling that would normally have been pleasant brought only a deep sense of shame as it reminded her of what had been lost moments before. Blake stared at the unwound ribbon in her open palm, watching quietly as the dark fabric grew darker in small blots as tears dripped from her cheeks onto the material.

Eventually, she was left staring at the statue of the Beowulf beneath the cliff that held up the two Hunters. Tears stopped flowing, leaving only those that lingered upon her face as her thoughts ran through the various dismal options left to her now. Reaching up to wipe away a few droplets from a cheek, her heart nearly sundered in two when a cloud of rose petals exploded out around her. Stopped from running only by the slender arms that wrapped around her stomach, Blake fell back against the smaller form and didn't dare move until she heard the quiet voice, its tone so close to pleading that it threatened to throw her back into crying again. "..You don't have to run from me."

* * *

**Author's Note: As though it hadn't already diverged enough from the show to begin with, right? A more dialogue heavy chapter than the last, hope that isn't off putting. I love writing combat scenes, but a whole fic of them would get tiring fast! I don't really know why I attempted to give Dr. Sheppard an accent, because I hate phonetic spelling so it probably doesn't translate well. Oh well, she's supposed to have an accent similar to Australians. As always, please drop a review and share it with your friends if you like it, I truly do appreciate it! -Fox**

**Mogwai Muse: I totally never procrastinate at work by writing this.. -nervous cough and quick glance about- Thank you so much for your kind words, and I hope the scene between Yang and Iris was done well again! Also, woo! Officially a fic worth not sleeping for! It's what I aim for.**


	9. Converging Rose

_**Roses &amp; Thorns **_**– Volume 1 – Chapter 9**

**-Converging Rose-**

* * *

"Again." Weiss grit her teeth as droplets of sweat stung an open cut on her cheek, the salty liquid sliding past the wound and taking on a red tinge before dripping to the ground below. Surrounding the scrape was the yellowing skin of a bruise that she was keenly aware of, its formation caused by the strike of a closed fist only a few minutes ago. Despite the exhaustion that clung to her limbs, she raised Myrtenaster with her lips set in a determined line, giving a nod to signal her readiness.

A keening whine announced the incoming blow, one that she deflected by letting it slide down the length of the rapier she held. The attack was a diversion that was all too predictable now, as her opponent had attempted the maneuver several times before. It had taken getting hit for Weiss to realize that the punch was not a sincere effort to harm her, but way to measure her reflexes and gain an understanding of how to continue the fight. She swiped at the offending wrist, knocking the blow away and earning an impressed grunt from the girl she was fighting.

Continually she had underestimated the other, through nearly all interactions between them. Claire Briar had been a vicious and unyielding fighter when they had first met, but had also displayed an aptitude for having a tactical mind, keeping advantages hidden until the perfect time. The first time they had trained, it was a test of her stamina, and Weiss had mistaken the frenzied pace of that battle for a race to victory. This time, it was thinking that a repeated strike would open a door into the realm of the wolf-girl's fighting style, but that portal remained firmly closed upon the revelation that the expected punch was only another test.

Claire's style was unique, and incredibly fluid. Where Weiss depended on form and practiced strikes, the Faunus was a creature of guided instinct. There was no style to study because the brunette acted in each individual moment in relevance to the situation at hand. It had infuriated her to discover this, but beneath that anger had lay a pool of admiration, perhaps even a bit of envy if she was allowed to be honest with herself.

The point of a rapier drove the curved edge of a saber towards the dirt, kicking up a cloud of dust that joined the veil already settling over the field they trained in. Immediately, the steel of her opponent's sword retracted and then shot forward at waist height. Diving toward the attack, Weiss somersaulted over the blade in a graceful dodge, a sense of satisfaction filling her at being able to perform the maneuver in such a tired state.

That feeling disappeared quickly as a boot caught the edge of her ribs, sending her tumbling onto the ground with a sharp gasp of pain. It had been Claire's idea to train without the use of aura, and Weiss had agreed, trusting that the skilled fighter would be able to pull her strikes and not cause a sense of real harm. That didn't mean that it didn't hurt, however, as she pushed a palm against the rough dirt in an attempt to stand after having the breath knocked from her lungs.

Before she could refuse the help, a hand gripped the underside of her shoulder and hauled her up to a standing position, the other girl's hand moving to dust the streaks of dirt from the back of her white shirt. Glaring up at the Faunus, Weiss pushed the wolf-girl away with an apprehensive shove, earning a frustrated expression from her taller opponent. Raising the tip of her weapon once again, she grit her teeth and spoke through the pain that was lancing through her chest as her lungs filled themselves back up with air. "Again."

"Give yourself a second, Schnee." Claire's gaze slid down the form of the smaller girl, scanning for any other injuries that were apparent aside from the cut on her opponent's cheek, and the gash evident through the fabric covering the left shoulder. It wasn't hard to admit that she might have gone a bit too far with this training session, but sympathy was short for the heiress that kept demanding they continue. "We've still got a few minutes before I have to meet Ozpin."

Her suggestion was taken with the usual sneer, but it seemed much less arrogant than it normally did from the way the heiress was standing, and the unusual clothes she was wearing. Supporting herself with the tip of the rapier, the girl was adorned in much simpler attire then the regular white dress. A t-shirt and a gray pair of pants, complete with black sneakers that left her a couple of inches shorter than was normal.

Claire had commented that it was strange to see the heiress in such relaxed clothing, but in the back of her mind a thought had taunted that it certainly flattered the slim figure of the girl in a much better way than the dress that was usually worn. Shaking her head to clear such observations from her mind, she studied the way Weiss struggled to straighten from the bent position, the form that the shorter girl assumed flawed in glaring ways. "Nevermind. Let's call it here."

"Excuse me?" Biting the words at the other girl, Weiss let her own frustration with the failings of her body unleash upon the fighter who was training her. The last three days had been filled with constant sparring between classes or during any other such downtime, but her stamina had improved little. Compounded on top of the other problems affecting her life at present, it had worn her patience down to a hair trigger. "You said we had a few minutes."

"Well, I'm tired. And you're tired." Sheathing the saber in its place at the leather belt, Claire turned away from her, and the Faunus moved to collect the tan jacket that had been discarded before their training had even begun. Weiss followed, stamping her feet with each step as she approached the taller girl, finding her staring up into two narrowed orbs of brown. In close proximity, the flecks of blood red became apparent, an effect that she had become quite acquainted with during the last three days. "If you keep pushing like this, something is going to break."

It wasn't clear if the wolfish girl meant pushing the limits of her own endurance, or the constraints of the Faunus' temper. The latter caused a flash of worry to cross her thoughts, having been on the receiving end of Claire's rage once before, but she chose not to be dissuaded from her course. "I can take it, and I won't improve if we don't keep up the pace."

"And you won't improve if a block is so sloppy that I accidentally take an arm off, either." The rising volume of Claire's voice vanished immediately when she took a step back, looking down at the heiress with a new frame of mind. She consciously tried to soften her expression, but the result was a twitching that set into her wolf ears, one of nervous agitation. "Look, Weiss.. I know that what's been happening with your team is.. What I mean to say-" Growling to interrupt her own fumbling words, she shook her head. "You keep running, and it won't deal with itself. Do you get what I'm saying?"

It was a strange new path that she took with this argument, one of concern for the heiress' well-being. While the girl was set on a path to great improvement in the realm of combat, it was worrying to see the self destructive manner that was being employed in their sparring. There was no sense of self-preservation. The Schnee girl was determined to be better, or get injured in the effort. It was not what Claire's aim had been when entering into this strange agreement, and though now may not have been the best time to bring it up, she decided it was time.

"Why do you act like you care?" That reaction caught her off guard, causing an eyebrow to raise as the smaller girl shoved the thin rapier into a belt. The heiress folded slender arms and assumed a glare that was at least double the intensity of the previous version, a brief warning for Claire of the coming storm. "Do you think that because we do this, suddenly you're my friend? That you understand me?" It surprised her to find that the words cut rather close to her heart, feeling as if she might have earned a bit of respect, given that she was the only one willing to put up with the unbalanced Schnee the last couple of days. "We aren't friends, we're just training partners. And now you aren't even willing to do that, so what good are you?"

Weiss had almost faltered upon seeing the brief flash of hurt cross over the Faunus' features, but anger had egged her onward, desperate to release her frustration. For a moment, the fear that she had gone too far touched upon her thoughts, but was summarily dismissed as a heavy shoulder slammed into her side. It wasn't a hit that carried the intention of harm, instead it was more for the function of getting her out of the way than hurting her. "Fuck you, Schnee."

There was a shocking lack of anger behind the words, but the voice kept a firm tone that showed no signs of breaking. That lack of emotional response only confirmed what Weiss believed she already knew, that the wolf-girl did not truly consider their relationship deeper than a few spars worth of time. Scoffing as she turned to follow the trail back to the main building of the Academy, she put on a convincing front to those she past that all was right in the world. But below that, even she couldn't hide the turmoil from her own mind, and her thoughts offered no respite from the hatred she now felt.

* * *

Yang stared at the plastic tray upon the table as she bit into the apple once again, her teeth scraping a fair bit of flesh from the core and filling her mouth with the refreshing taste of the freshly picked fruit. Normally, such a bite would have been accompanied with a hum of satisfaction, but not these last few days. In total, it had been three days since her partner had revealed that not only was the girl a Faunus, but also a member of the organization known as the White Fang. To make matters worse, her little sister had chased after Blake without a glance back.

Weight on her shoulders pressed her chest down as she felt a folded pair of arms lay upon her back, complete with a chin that touched the back of her neck. "Hey there, cutie. Missed you in class the last couple of days. Really know how to make a girl feel unwanted." The light voice caused the muscles throughout her chest to tighten in a sudden fit of nervousness, knowing that a whole slew of unresolved issues awaited her on this front as well. When she was not forthcoming with a response, the smaller form of the other girl slid off to the side and settled on the bench next to her, facing the opposite direction. Indigo eyes studied her with a look of concern, and a frown marred the Faunus' beautiful features. "Thought about coming by and seeing if I could help.. But Amber said it was best to stay clear until you were ready. She might be a bit strange, but she has a grasp on these things."

Yang was intensely aware that she had not spoken a single word to the fox-girl since they had shared a rather intense set of kisses in the other Team's dorm, but it brought a sense of relief to know that Iris was not taking her absence as a personal offense. "Yeah, I.." Trailing off, she wasn't quite certain how to explain what was going on within her. In truth, she didn't know much about it herself. Settling on what she did know and could find the words for, she stumbled awkwardly into the next subject. "Ruby still hasn't answered any of my calls. Just a text each morning, letting me know she's okay and not to worry."

Slender fingers ducked beneath the locks of her golden hair and brushed them over the ridge of an ear, the gentle touch causing a small amount of heat to rise beneath the skin of her cheeks. When she finally summoned the courage to glance over at the other girl, she found a weak smile waiting for her. "At least she's okay, right? I'm sure she'll be back once she can figure out what to do about Blake."

Appreciating the small comfort that the words brought, Yang leaned into the hand that softly stroked her cheek, eventually abandoning her aloofness completely in an effort to lay her head on the shoulder of the other girl. "I still worry." Her advance was readily accepted, and she found herself pulled into a semi-hug that could have been more comfortable if they weren't sitting in such a strange position.

Nevertheless, Iris embraced the blonde with a small smile, happy to be of help for the girl in any way she could. "Tell you what. I'll help you look for her, today." There was a shuffling as Yang considered her words, but no confirmation, prompting her to continue. "Maybe I'll rope the rest of the team in as well. Oh! I could use my semblance to get Weiss to go, because there's no way she doesn't want to find them, right? I mean, if not Blake, then at least Ruby. I know she's a Schnee but-" Silenced by a finger touching upon her lips, she let her eyes slide slowly over to the tiny grin that had appeared on the brawler's face.

That alone made her rambling effort worth it, but when Yang leaned over to press a gentle kiss to her cheek, she couldn't help but grin like a moron. "Maybe we should, three days is too long, right?" There was still a trace of uncertainty in the blonde's tone, enough that Iris realized the other girl was truly searching for a sign of validation for the course. Sliding off the bench and straightening with a confident expression set into her features, she offered a hand to the taller girl.

"Come on, let's go find our wayward classmates." Yang stared at the open palm that was offered to her, then slid her gaze up the pale skin of the bare arm until it reached the black sleeve of the girl's overshirt. Glancing up to the pools of violet hue that awaited her, the corner of her own eyes caught the movement of a tail that began swaying once their gazes locked. It was strange, for her heart to flutter with such a light feeling the midst of the drama that had shattered her team and friends apart, but the sense of gratitude she felt to the Faunus for being able to make her feel that way was no small thing.

Taking the offered hand and allowing herself to be lifted from the seat she had occupied, Yang made an immediate effort to entwine their fingers together as she was led toward the exit. Every so often, the fox-girl would turn a half step back and glance at her, a tiny smile evident at the corners of the pale pink lips. Given all else that was going on, she didn't suppose it was so strange to feel this close to Iris, despite their relatively new friendship.

That thought caused Yang to cock her head to the side with an amused chuckle, a stray thought asking just what she should be calling her relation to the other girl at this point. For now, friendship was needed, and anything further was appreciated. Perhaps that was enough.

* * *

"Ms. Briar, you seem.. Agitated today." Ozpin watched as the girl tossed him an angry glance from across the desk, her eyes alight with a fire that had been absent in their previous sessions. If he had to guess, it was something more akin to a wounded expression than one of irritation. That thought led him to rise from his seat and cross over to where a table sat on the side of the room. Taking a spare mug from a row of identical cups, he leaned his cane against the side of the table. "Perhaps we should talk about what is was that put you into such a state?"

Pouring from a fresh pot, he filled the mug in his hand nearly to the brim with coffee before turning back to face the young Faunus. "You take it black, if I could hazard a guess?" A nod confirmed his suspicions, and he took up the metal rod that allowed him increased mobility, moving over to the desk at a leisurely pace. He set the mug on the surface in front of the girl's folded arms, finding some small measure of amusement in the way the brown eyes widened and glanced curiously between him and the cup, as if such an offering may come with strings. Taking his seat once again, Ozpin leveled his gaze on his upset pupil, bringing his unanswered question back into focus. "Whenever you're ready."

A hesitant hand slipped through the grip of the mug, clasping the surface of the cup without even a flinch at the heat that was sure to be permeating from the liquid at this point. Unaware of the way that he was studying her, Claire brought the edge of the container to her lips, sipping at the coffee experimentally before taking in a larger drink. Warm, but carrying a bitterness that bit at her sense of taste, she shook her head after gulping it down. "It's only the usual, Professor."

Setting down the mug and withdrawing her hand from its grip, it was only then that she noticed the dull ache that had settled into the pad of her fingers, a light burning sensation from the heat of the cup. Flexing the digits of that hand with a raised eyebrow, she turned her gaze past it to the man sitting across the table. Ozpin was looking over his glasses at her, his thin eyes hiding the constant calculations behind a mask of practiced calm. "Would I be right to assume that your current conflict with Ms. Schnee has to do with the fact two members of Team RWBY have not attended any of their classes for the last three days?"

A light chuckle escaped Claire's lips, knowing full well that the Headmaster was probably well aware of what had happened. Her own team knew because of the screaming match that had accompanied the revelation, but Professor Ozpin seemed like the man that knew everything happening under the roof of his Academy. Whether or not that was true didn't matter. He gave the impression, she and the rest of the students bought it, and he knew about the fight. "You would. She isn't dealing with it, and when I called her on it, she got angry." Giving a long sigh, she took another sip of the coffee before continuing. "So then I got angry, and I did what you told me to do, I left before it got to be too much."

"Hmm." He revealed nothing in that small noise, merely tilting his head to her as he spoke. "Well done. Showing progress this early is surely a sign that you are dedicated to learning what I have to teach you." Clearing his throat, the Professor leaned back in the wooden chair, watching her through his dark spectacles. "As for Ms. Schnee, you must keep in mind that the revelation of Ms. Belladonna's heritage came as quite a shock. In her mind, the fact she missed that her own teammate was a Faunus, how wrong could she be about the race as a whole?"

"Given the rather.. Volatile nature of the argument that brought about that revelation, I believe Ms. Schnee is now experiencing a crisis of self. A mirror was held up, and what she saw looking back was not something she could be proud of." Folded hands separated for a moment to complete a gesture towards Claire, as she narrowed her eyes at the Huntsman. "What she needs from you is patience, and understanding. Her very view of the world was recently threatened, and so I suggest you do your best to help her along, even if she lashes out at you."

"You want me to..?" Trailing off with a fuming huff of agitation, she shook her head and looked away. Her own defiance could only hold for a few moments under the Headmaster's intense gaze, bringing another wearied sigh and a glance back. "I could work on being more patient with her. But she might need a good smack to the head to come around.." Grumbling the last part, she didn't miss the mirth that crossed the man's face before he clapped his hands together.

"Excellent! Now, instead of continuing our conversation from yesterday, I wish to ask you a question about the recent trip to Forever Fall." The ears atop her head perked up at the mention of the forest, twitching and turning towards him, betraying her interest when her facial expression would not. "Your substitute teacher, Slate, tells me that the performance of both teams was more than admirable in the face of overwhelming odds."

Giving a light shrug of her shoulders, Claire cocked her head to the side, her mind racing through what the Professor's aim could be with this line of thought. "To be fair, it was a bunch of juveniles.. If we had gone up against adult beowulves, or alphas.." She let the topic rest at that, shaking her head at the very thought of how lucky they had been.

"Of course. Nevertheless, it was impressive to bring down a much larger Grimm." With the reference to the Death Stalker, it became clear to her that Ozpin was leading to a question concerning the conflict down in the canyon. "However, when I watched the various recordings of the fighting, I noticed something rather odd about your interactions with Ms. Rose."

Ozpin noted the way that the Faunus froze at the mention of the scythe-wielding leader of Team RWBY, the wolf-girl's body language remaining the same except for a slight stiffness that came over it. Most would have missed that, but not him, not when he was looking for it. He remained quiet for some time, letting his student ponder the implications of what he was about to ask before it came. Eventually, he relented in the quiet torture, speaking up and drawing the nervous gaze of his companion in this conversation. "You seemed to place yourself in harms way when it came to protecting her, to the point where she herself expressed no small amount of shock at your recklessness." There was a slight narrowing to the dark brown eyes, to which he donned a smile. "Yes, I spoke to her the night you returned from the forest. I asked that she inquire to the reason why you acted in such a manner, as I was afraid that you would not share the truth with me. Alas, she is tending to her own team's problems, and here we are. Forgive me, but my curiosity must be sated.. Did you know Ms. Rose before attending my school?"

Claire was concentrating on not fidgeting within her seat when the question reached her ears, causing her to sit unnaturally straight and stare out the window that sat behind the inquisitive Professor. After a long string of silence, she flicked her gaze to the man for a single second before glancing away once again. "Does this.. Matter?"

"Does it not?" The question was spoken with a pondering, almost teasing tone, enough to cause her to shift nervously and dread what was coming next. "Perhaps you met her before your time at Beacon, in the time you spent in the slums, and she was kind to you."

It was a suggestion that was so far from the truth, and yet not so far that it could be discounted. For a moment, Claire considered simply answering that yes, it had been that. But something told her that Ozpin had already put two and two together, and that no lie would allow her to escape answering his query. "I was.. I was just looking out for her, Professor. She's young and inex-" The words came out with a near-pleading sound to her voice, and she finally locked gazes with the man, not wanting to pursue this any further.

"Ruby Rose is one of the most talented students ever to be admitted into my school, so I know that you are not about to imply that your caution was due to her inexperience. Young as she might be, she is far from helpless." The man pursed his lips together, a stern look dominating the brown eyes that arrested her own view. Fear filled every vein, spurred on by the realization that the truth would be pulled from her one way or another. "Perhaps you met a different Rose?"

There it was. Confirmation that he knew exactly what she was hiding the moment he had asked this of her. She couldn't suppress the instantaneous amount of anger that sprung up in the wake of his final, damning question. "You already know the answer!" In a moment, she was on her feet, a fist smashed into the wood of the Headmaster's desk so hard that it jostled the mug he had given her. A small pool of coffee now lay nearby her hand, but even the shuddering breath she took as she realized her own rage did not calm her. "Why do you keep prodding?!"

As always, he met her anger with a infuriating patience, all clasped hands and studious gazes. "Because some truths are not absolute. Each perspective holds a different version of events, many of them conflicting, and all of them correct." The rather cryptic statement did back her down a level, causing Claire's eyes to widen as she leaned away from the table. The man across from her noticed, and took the chance to explain. "I have read the reports of what happened, and though I suspected that you were connected, it took your excursion to Forever Fall to confirm it. Qrow.. Never told me."

She couldn't stop the drain of strength in her limbs as she slumped back into the chair, all thoughts anger, or of a fresh start from her past fading away in an instant. "He promised he wouldn't." A weak mumbling of the words was all that she could manage.

Ozpin observed the way the young Faunus seemed to be utterly defeated by the notion that he had deciphered a slim portion of her past, and knew that he had to take a much more careful route now. "Tell me.. Why conceal this from me? I must admit, your issues with rage were very much a mystery until I put the pieces of this puzzle together." Leaning forward, he folded his arms upon the edge of the desk. "It is the very key to dealing with those issues that we were searching for, and I suspect that you knew this all along."

"No one likes to talk about their scars, Professor.." The simple explanation was all that she could offer, refusing to look away from the spilled coffee upon the surface of the table in front of her. It quickly sunk in that Ozpin's continued silence meant that he would not be accepting such a short answer, and so she dug into the recesses of her mind in order to pull something more satisfactory to the surface. "All I have are my memories, and my anger. If I talk it all through, if I fix everything.. I might lose that. I know I shouldn't embrace it when I feel it begin to boil, but I do. It-It's when I feel most alive." A shaky chuckle came with her rambling thoughts, and a tongue darted out to wet her lips before continuing. "If that's gone, I might just fade away. I'd.. How do I face what happened if I'm can't rage against it?"

"At what point does it become too much, Claire? At what point does your anger cost you more than what it's worth?" The Huntsman spoke softly now, his tone conveying a sense of sympathy with it, but not seeming to be one of pity. "You have lost much, and though you might hope that wall of anger you have built will stave off the pain, you must know that it's not true. Nothing ever can truly hide you from what has happened. You must face it, you must overcome it." Leaning back away from her, the man gave a simple shrug of his shoulders. "Or it will consume you."

"Those are my choices, huh?" She tried to laugh off the tension of the moment, but all that came out was a noise far too close to a whimper for her liking. Taking in a breath in order to strengthen her resolve, Claire made her decision, and conviction is what drew her gaze upwards. "I don't want to be like this anymore. But you-you can't tell Weiss. If she knew.."

"As I said the very first time we met here, all that is said between us shall remain that way." It brought a small measure of comfort as the mood of the room took a step back towards comfortable, and she let out a shaky sigh. "And I am truly sorry for having coaxed the information from you in such a way, but I must ask that you trust me. Both that it is for the best, and that I will be able to help you move past it."

"I.." Claire stared into the older Huntsman's eyes, searching for a shred of certainty in making this decision. There was no careful consideration, however, as she knew that it was this or face being expelled from the Academy. That thought did little to calm the rampant fear running through her chest, but it did allow her to gulp down the panic and give a small nod. "I will, Professor. I mean, I do trust you. But.. Where do we start with this?"

The man leaned forward, placing elbows on the surface of the desk and folding his hands to create a small base to place his chin upon, staring at her for a long moment. "You've told me of your parents, of your sister. The village you grew up in." She swallowed an audible gulp, unable to hide her own discomfort with the topic, and knowing where it was headed. "Start with the day that village was destroyed."

* * *

Yang felt good. Maybe it was the fact that she was up and doing something again, maybe it was the girl that had motivated her to go after Blake and Ruby. Either way, it was enough that she wore a broad grin as she turned the corner into the infirmary, sliding through the door as it was swinging close due to another person's passage. Compared to how packed the room had been on their arrival back from Forever Fall, it was now near empty, with only a few beds taken by those that had suffered wounds requiring more than basic first aid to accommodate the healing process.

One of those beds was her destination, as she stepped around a nurse that gave her a skeptical look. Her targets had spotted her the moment she had entered, too, with bright red eyes having been fixed on the spot where she had emerged. Another set of a more subdued yellow color found her as well, and she flashed a confident smile to both of them as she came to a stop at the end of the bed. "Hiya Nyx, Amber."

The taller of the two, Nyx, gave her a welcoming smile and a nod. "What's up, Yang?"

The twin in the bed fixed her with that same unsettling stare that always seemed to adorn the girl's face, causing Yang to falter for a moment before continuing. "How're you feeling? You look better." Hopeful that the conversation would bring out a little more personality from the redhead, but that hope was smashed when the shorter of the two Pinions replied in the usual dreamy voice.

"Doctor Sheppard told me that the wounds I took from Claire healed at a rate she hasn't seen before. I was called back for a follow up scan today, but so far it has revealed nothing." Yang felt her grin slip more into the realm of nervous smile as she stared into the eyes of the other girl, unable to shake the uneasy feeling that was being generated by the way Amber seemed to be studying her. She felt naked under that gaze, as if those burning orbs could see past every wall and shine a light on every secret. "She is now in her office, obsessing over the results in an effort to explain it. The good Doctor hopes to study me and gain an understanding of the effects two auras have on wounds."

"Wait, two auras?" Yang looked to the boy standing at the bedside for an answer, cocking an eyebrow in her confusion.

Nyx opened his mouth for a moment before his thoughts aligned and the explanation came to mind, starting it off with a shrug. "I can't claim to know what the process actually is, but the first time Amber ever used her power was on a victim that was pulled from a car accident just outside our estate in Northern Vale. The family doctor was frantic to get her to a hospital, but by the time they arrived, what had been gashes had turned to cuts, and bruises were several shades lighter." He felt an unconscious smile creep up onto his lips as he remembered the content expression he had seen on his sister's face then. "During the time that they were cleaning her up, one of the interns happened to glance at the aura scanner, and saw that it was picking up two distinct signals."

"So.." Yang turned back to the girl on the bed, greeted by that same strange expression that was the perfect definition of neutral. "When you use your Semblance, it takes some of the other person's aura in order to speed up your healing? That's.. Pretty badass, actually." Letting out a small laugh, the joyful sound drew a chuckle from the boy standing nearby, and she even saw the corner of Amber's lips twitch upwards.

"That's the first time anyone has called it that." Flecks of yellow mixed with the crimson of the smaller Pinion's eyes, creating that illusion of fire as the light caught them, and Yang found herself being appraised in a new way. The girl was no longer looking at her, but through her, with a faraway look. "But you.. You're an optimist in a way that not many people are, aren't you?"

"Eh, I wouldn't go that far." Shrugging her shoulders, she gave the two twins a wide, confidant grin. "But things always tend to work out for me, it's true." A thought reminded her of her reason for coming, and that brought down the mood almost instantly. "Um, anyway.. So Iris and I are going out to look for Ruby and Blake, I just wanted to stop by and ask if you guys were up for coming with us?"

She watched as Nyx tilted his head, the brother instead looking to Amber instead of answering. The redhead, seeing that the decision had been deferred to her, did not hesitate to answer. "When do we leave?"

* * *

As Claire stepped from the elevator that led up to Professor Ozpin's office, she raised a hand to scratch at one of her wolfish ears. Surprise crossed her features when she felt that the fingers were shaking, causing her to bring the digits to a more comfortable height for studying. It took a long moment of staring for her to realize that it was her entire body that had taken to the nervous vibration, and that every hair on the back of her neck was standing straight up.

She felt uncomfortable in her own skin. Hyper-aware of the way the fabric of her shirt was rubbing against the ridges of the scars that lay along her back, the feeling only served to reinforce the playback loop of her past that was circulating through her thoughts. It pulled her further and further into a state of anxiety, something she had managed to keep at bay when relaying the various stories of her origins to the older Huntsman.

"There you are! Gonna need your nose, 'cause we're going.." The voice caused her cringe, her eyelids fluttering before slamming back to a wide open position as she turned to stare at the girl that bounded up to her. Iris seemed to immediately know that something was off, slowing to a stop a couple of feet away and losing the cheerful expression she had arrived with. Quickly, the fox-girl's features turned more to concern than wariness, and the shorter student sidled up beside her. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Her mouth opened and closed a few times, unable to force the words out in a way that made sense. The delay caused her teammate to reach out, but Claire flinched away the moment fingers brushed over the skin of her forearm. The other Faunus withdrew, her actions only serving to increase the worry evident on the pretty face, as she worked up what courage she had left in an effort to communicate. "O-Ozpin had some questions, about.. About before all this."

"Like Impetus?" Iris watched as the wild mane atop her friend's shoulders was dislodged by the nearly violent shaking of the girl's head. It clicked then, the reason that Claire was acting so strangely, and where she had seen it before. In the time that they had dated, she had gleaned only a small bit of the wolf Faunus' life. It had been enough to know the why behind the girl's anger, and odd personality, but she had never dared question past that. Largely in part of the way she had seen it totally wreck the other girl's ability to function. "Oh.. I-"

Before she could even begin to comfort the other, the sound of footsteps announced the arrival of the rest of their small party, and both of them gave an awkward clearing of their throats. Claire looked at her with appreciative smile, then took in a deep breath. It seemed to calm the taller girl, at least to the point where she wasn't shaking anymore. The gratitude evident in the wolf-girl's brown eyes quickly turned to confusion as the other four members of their teams came around the corner. "What's going on?"

Iris opened her mouth to answer, but was too slow to beat Yang, the blonde looking to be chomping at the bit to get moving. "We're gonna go find my sister, and Blake. Drag them back here if need be."

Chuckling as the brawler stepped up next to her, she turned back to look at her partner. "What do you say, you game?"

Claire looked over the small assembly, noting the way that Iris and Yang were standing in closer proximity to each other than they normally would, that detail bringing a smile to her face that continued as she scanned over the other two members of her own team. Nyx gave an eager nod as they locked gazes for a moment, and Amber gave that subtle twitch of thin eyebrows that signaled the girl was keenly aware of what she was feeling in that moment.

Her grin didn't last long, as it found the last member of the makeshift search party, the girl that stood in the back with arms folded and a glare marring pretty features. The scar that slashed through the heiress' right eye only amplified the effect as the pale blue eyes slid over and found her, widened for a moment before resuming their angry state. Gone was the cut and the bruise from their training session, wiped away by the power of aura, leaving behind the unblemished porcelain surface of the girl's right cheek.

Despite what had occurred earlier, Claire took a beat to remember what Ozpin had told her concerning Weiss Schnee, and made a conscious effort to find what little patience she had. She felt her lips move into a smile, and gave an encouraging nod.

If nothing else, seeing the depth of the shock that crossed the heiress' face was worth it.

* * *

Ruby tilted the mug in her hands one way, and then the other. The dark liquid contained within sloshed about with her movements, arresting her gaze as she struggled to stay quiet. Silence had been a constant companion the last three days, aside from a few acknowledgments or grunts to announce her friend's intentions. It felt unnatural to her, to be so quiet for so long. She honestly felt as though this was the least she had spoken in all of her life, at least since she had learned how to talk.

Taking a sip of the hot cocoa that she had ordered, she took the opportunity to glance over the lip of the cup at the girl on the other side of the table. It was midday, and they were sitting alone in the upper dining area of a cafe in downtown Vale, a situation that Ruby was sure she would have enjoyed more if it hadn't been for the circumstances that had forced them here. Blake was across from her, staring into a cup of coffee that lay untouched on its saucer.

The girl was gorgeous in the light of the sun, the light causing shadows to play across delicate features and create a sharp contrast to pale skin. Beneath the tresses of black hair peeked out two wide, golden orbs that seemed to glow in the shade, unfocused and darting about from time to time as if the Faunus was deep in thought. Ruby trailed her gaze up to the bow that had been replaced atop Blake's head, watching it intently for any movements that might betray the set of cat ears that lay beneath it. She found herself holding a small amount of apprehension for that little silk ribbon, as if it alone was responsible for creating the insecurities that plagued the person sitting before her.

Lost in her study as she was, Ruby failed to notice that the other girl had caught on, and let out a quiet yelp when she saw those amber irises staring out at her. "I.. Heh." The apology was lost into the void of silence that had surrounded them since they left from Beacon. Looking down into her lap, she felt a buzzing that announced another message had been received by her scroll. Unlocking the device with an idle thumb, the notification bar showed that the text was from Yang, asking where she was.

Giving a soft sigh, she locked the scroll again. As much as she loved her sister, she needed to figure this all out, and Ruby knew that Yang was going to give her the chewing out of a lifetime when they finally went back to the Academy. If she was ever able to get Blake to go back, at least. "So.." The word startled her, causing her to drop the mug she had been holding an inch above the table, causing hot chocolate to splash over the edges and create a small pool contained in the saucer beneath it. Steadying the wobbling cup with both hands, she fought the urge to giggle and turned to look at the girl across the table, afraid that she may have spooked the Faunus back into silence. "You want to know more about me?"

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, it's been a crazy week and..basically two weeks. Weddings(not mine), work, what have you. Also struggled with where I wanted to take this from here. The problem is I know what happens two chapters from now, but this one and the next are pretty much just winging it. Anyway, sorry about that! Please feel free to drop a review with your thoughts, I always love to hear from you guys! Until next time! -Fox**

**Mogwai Muse: Yeah, I've cut out a lot that made the show progress as it did, and every change I introduce changes what is to come.. I won't be surprised if it gets a bit crazy down the road. But I'm glad you like the alternate take on it, I hope you'll enjoy what's to come! I tried to model the accent after one of my friends, but I'm glad it was able to come across as such, especially to an Australian.**

**Phew, was worried I was advancing Iris and Yang way too fast, but it does feel rather natural considering their characters. Still there is a step back in this chapter because of the space Iris gave Yang.. so it still has some time to develop more fully. I hate(hate, hate, hate) it when an author gives a character a tail and just never mentions it ever again except the occasional wag. Any animal with a tail uses it to express it's thoughts and feelings just as you or I would use our eyebrows. If someone had a tail, it would be as good an indicator as any as to what they are feeling! /rant **

**Anyway, thank you for your reviews, I appreciate the time you put in to them, and they've really helped motivate and inspire me in writing this. You rock!**

**queenofthezone: Thank you! I often worry that my chapters are far too long, but I also feel like I include everything that needs to be there, so it's really a toss up. I'm glad you're enjoying Team CAIN, because I am certainly having fun writing them. Claire might be the result of a dozen other characters that I've always wanted to write kind of thrown into the same person.. and I'm a little surprised that it kinda works. Anyway, you're awesome, and thank you so much for letting me know you like my story!**


	10. Blind Faith

_**Roses &amp; Thorns **_**– Volume 1 – Chapter 10**

**-Blind Faith-**

* * *

"So.. You want to know more about me?"

Sitting across from her teammate, Ruby stared at the other girl with wide eyes, shock still settling in at the first meaningful words spoken since she had embraced the revealed Faunus at the base of the courtyard statue. Even in her stupor, she was able to register the way that Blake tilted her head. More importantly, she caught the way the bow twitched as one of the small feline ears hidden beneath the ribbon instigated the movement. It was all so obvious now, but she had missed it for weeks, they had all missed it. Shaking herself free from the grasp of surprise, she cleared her throat and spoke softly. "I-I, yeah. I mean, if you want to tell me."

For all her effort not to let on just how badly she wanted this explanation, Ruby could not contain the subtle plea from her voice, and cringed inwardly as the girl across the table gave her a look. The amber colored eyes closed, before sliding open a moment later with a clear light of determination radiating within their depths. "You're.. Familiar with what the White Fang is, yes?"

"A little.." Studying the floral design that decorated the side of her cup, she avoided making eye contact with the other girl as she thought. "Growing up on Patch, we never heard much about them except that they were a.." Ruby shifted uncomfortably in her seat, not truly knowing how Blake would react to her next words. "A terrorist organization."

"Yes." The firm, almost mature tone that the girl had adopted caused Ruby to pause any movements for a moment, a fleeting thought wondering if their friendship would survive this conversation intact. "But they weren't always so.. Violent." Oblivious to her fear, Blake continued on, as if she were a teacher relaying a lesson. Impartial, emotionless. In her mind, it didn't suit the Faunus to be so cold. "I was born outside the walls of Vale, in a small city at the edge of the kingdom. Even there, especially there, Humans still looked down on us for simply being what we are. We were shunned, insulted, and unwelcome. It didn't use to bother me."

That caused Ruby to perk up, raising her gaze in order to see just how much this telling was affecting the girl. There was no clue to be found in the gorgeous features that awaited her, only a stoic expression that was staring off towards the street below. "I was young, orphaned, and I didn't understand. I thought it was normal. I was never taught that I was more than what the Humans saw." The first sign of emotion came through the wall that Blake had erected, a touch of venom dripping from the words as they were said through clenched teeth. "Then the White Fang came. They were like heroes to me and the other Faunus kids, revolutionaries with a cause worth fighting for."

"That was when I met Adam, my old partner. He was a few years older than me at the time, but even with his youth, he understood the world in a way I had failed to grasp before he entered my life." A strange feeling welled up inside Ruby, a tightening in her chest that was half anger, as well as a foreign emotion. It took a little bit of examination to discover what it was, this new sensation. Jealousy. Enraptured as she was by Blake's tale, she couldn't help but want to be the object of the praise the girl was now leveling upon this other person. "He pointed out the injustices, the atrocities, that had become so commonplace in my life. He taught me that I was worth far more than what others saw. More importantly, he taught me how to fight them, with words and ideas, even with weapons."

"In the ashes of the war, the White Fang had rose up to become the voice of our people. They strove for equality, and I was there for every boycott, at the front of every protest. For a while, it looked as if we might actually make a difference. Fear at our movement turned to talks of new laws, of acceptance in the eyes of the government. Some of the people were coming around as well, but then it all went wrong.." Gone was the stoic way the girl had been telling the story, and Ruby saw the version of Blake she had come to admire. The girl that held a deep reserve of passion in her beliefs just below the surface. It showed in every facial muscle that tensed as the thin jaw clenched, in every crack in the sound of the Faunus' voice.

"Faunus, tired of there being little progress after years of work, began to attack businesses that refused to serve our kind. Boycotts turned to robberies, and all talks of peace fled in the wake of the backlash. Humans, bitter from the war and losing patience for the criminals within our ranks, began attacking otherwise peaceful protests. Innocents were killed on both sides, and five years ago, in the aftermath of all that had happened.. Our leader stepped down." Blake didn't dare turn to see how the younger girl was absorbing all of this, unsure if she could trust herself to hold back tears if what she found was anything less than the acceptance she hoped for. "Another man took his place, but this one had a new way of doing things."

"What had once been the ways of a fringe element became our main tactics. Signs in a protest were replaced with weapons in a raid. We burned businesses to the ground, threatened the families of store owners that refused to serve Faunus, and stole from companies that treated Faunus as cheap labor." Letting out a hollow laugh, she dug the nails of her right hand into her leg beneath the table, anger spiking to a boiling point as she fanned the flames of her bitter memories. "The worst part was, it was working, better than peace ever had. Humans everywhere began to treat us with more respect, and dozens of laws were passed in the pursuit of equality. But it was all out of fear."

"We ran, we stole, we threatened.. We killed. In return, we were thrown in jail, some of us mutilated, even murdered. I did so many things I wish I hadn't, and lost so many friends." Speaking the last part softly, Blake heard the small gasp that came from across the table, and she released her leg as her mood swung once again to one of melancholy. "After all that had happened, I couldn't take it. The same cause that I had once believed in so strongly had become something monstrous. So, I left. I abandoned Adam in the middle of a mission and put the White Fang behind me as best I could. I set my sights on becoming a Huntress, on using what skills I had learned for something better, to create a world that didn't need people to be forced to accept one another."

Finally, after the long winded explanation of her past, Blake turned her gaze back to her companion. She expected full well to be greeted with an expression of horror, or even disgust at her admission. At the very least, it should have been an inquisition into which of the mentioned crimes she had committed herself. What she found was a face filled with sympathy, and a hand that had froze halfway across the table as if it had begun its attempt to comfort her before she had seen it. "And then fate gave me a team that included the heiress to the company that had been my target for years." A dark chuckle escaped her lips as she thought back to the day before initiation, when she had found Weiss screaming at the girl in the red cape, and had discovered who would be her classmates at Beacon. "I almost ran then."

Sterling irises were locked on to her with a measure of fear, as if the younger girl was afraid that she was going to run now, even after telling her tale. Even now, with an expression caught between wariness and concern, Ruby was an arresting image for her. Blake was glued to those pools of argent beauty, so much so that she wasn't sure she could run even if she wanted too. "But.. You stayed."

"I stayed." Unconsciously, she laid an arm down on the table as she leaned forward, as if daring that hand frozen halfway across the glass surface to complete its journey. "I guess it was mostly pride. I wanted to see if I could turn the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company around to my way of thinking. I really thought I could do it, too. I thought I could change the world, by using my teammate." Shaking her head, she felt the bow droop as the ears hidden beneath it tilted down against her hair. "What kind of person thinks like that?"

Her muscles tensed as slender fingers brushed against the edge of her palm. That panic only spread through her nerves when that hand was pulled toward the other girl, and taken up in a tight grip. Her eyes snapped down to the two hands clasped together, then up to the gaze that was waiting for her. Ruby's lips parted, and delivered an answer that gave her the first feeling of soothing warmth since she had been embraced by the girl back at Beacon. "Someone who cares. You wanted what was best for your people, Blake. And you believed in yourself enough to think that you could do it."

Ruby became aware that she was holding onto the other girl as tightly as she could at the same time she noticed the blush that was slowly blossoming into existence on the Faunus' pale cheeks. The sight, beautiful as it was, caused a warmth to spread across her own face. It didn't stop her from continuing, however, as she spoke up again. "You've got a good heart, and I think that makes you strong."

There weren't enough words that were truly adequate to express how Blake's spirit soared as she listened, and so she settled for the most simple of gestures. Squeezing gently against the hand she held within her own, it earned her a broad grin from the younger girl.

* * *

The Bullhead waiting on the landing pad at Beacon was just one of the many ships that would shuttle people from the elevated academy down to the city below throughout the day, it's loud engines idling as Yang stepped into the transport area behind the leader of team CAIN. Slipping her fingers through the loop of the handle, she caught the other girl's gaze with a glance that plainly said she had something on her mind. "What is it?"

The Faunus' brown eyes narrowed as they scanned over her, a touch of trepidation evident in the orbs that told of a slight fear of what she had to say. Unusual as it was to see such a thing in the rough character of the wolf-girl, Yang chose not to pursue it, instead leading with the question that had originally been on her mind. "Don't you need something of Ruby's to catch the scent, or.. Something?" Biting at her lip, she quietly prayed that what she was suggesting wasn't offensive to the other student. She did need Claire's help, after all. "I'm sorry, I just don't know how this thing of yours works."

A soft chuckle came her way as the girl took up standing by the handle next to her, a small smile stretching the tanned skin of Claire's cheeks. "No, I won't need anything. Your sister has a pretty distinctive scent, and I got a good whiff of her when we were in Forever Fall." The wolf-girl's grin only grew when Yang tilted her head, guessing at the next question with an impressive accuracy. "Ruby smells like strawberries for the most part, but that can be washed away pretty easily, as it comes from her shampoo. Her scent, her real scent, is.. Hard to describe."

Humming softly, Claire glanced out the open side of the aircraft as the other four members of their search party climbed into the transport area, not truly focusing on anything as she thought of the words necessary to complete the description. "She smells like the wind during summer, if I had to liken it to something.. Also sweat, mixed with a bit of weapon oil."

"Huh." She watched the blonde's facial features as they twisted from a tiny force pulling at the girl's lips to one of confusion, and then changing again into one of curiosity as startling lilac eyes slid back to her. "What do I smell like?"

"Right now?" Claire took a moment to dart her gaze past the brawler's shoulder to the other Faunus standing behind the blonde girl, letting a wolfish half-grin take over her face as she answered. "You smell a bit like Iris." A sense of satisfaction filled her as she saw both girls freeze at her words and begin to blush, confirmation that her nose was still on point. Each of them carried a bit of the scent of the other, the result of earlier activities of an obvious nature.

"Really, Yang?" For the first time since she had descended from Professor Ozpin's office, Claire heard the bitter toned voice of Weiss Schnee, as the pale heiress tossed a disapproving glance in the direction of the two most flamboyant members of their teams. "Blake has run off. Ruby, your little sister, has followed after her, despite the revelation that our dear teammate is a member of the White Fang.. And you've been making out with her?"

Iris felt the fur on her ears bristle as she heard the implied insult buried within the heiress' tone, and her gaze shot up to stare at the shorter girl with a fire in her eyes. She saw the way the blonde's head dipped at the accusation, and that only served to fuel her anger to greater heights. "What's the matter, Schnee, are you jealous? Because I'm sure Yang wouldn't mind sharing." Waggling her eyebrows in a suggestive manner, the groan from Nyx was well worth the look of sheer surprise on Weiss' face as she stepped forward, resuming her vicious glare. "Or do you just disapprove because I'm a Faunus? I think I remember you saying something about how we should all burn?"

"That's not what I- I don't think-!"

"Enough!" The flustered heiress looked about to recover when Iris' friend intervened, the wolf Faunus placing a hand on Weiss' shoulder and holding pushing the shorter girl away, while simultaneously pushing her away from the target of her ire as well. "Both of you!" Brown eyes swiveled around to catch her with an intimidating glare, silencing any thought she might have had to question why Claire was protecting the other.

"Briar, what's the plan?" The mention of her last name tore Claire's focus away from the squabbling pair and to the tall frame of Nyx Pinion, meeting the gaze of his dusky yellow eyes with a surprised look. "Are we just going to wander around Vale for a couple of hours, or do we know where Ruby might go?" The boy looked pointedly at the blonde that was staring off out the side of the Bullhead as the aircraft prepared to take off.

"Yang!" Shouting in order to carry her voice over the sudden increase in volume as the engines kicked up with a screaming noise, she caught the other girl's attention and drew the lilac eyes to her with a slow nod to check that the brawler was good to go.

A tilt of the head was returned to her as Yang's lips parted to answer. "The commercial district! It's the only part of town she'd be familiar with!"

"It's something.." Muttering that part under her breath, the words were lost in the wind as the transport bucked and lifted away from the landing pad, beginning its path toward their destination. "Alright, we'll sweep with teams of two!"

* * *

Weiss gave an agitated huff as she turned to once again find her companion staring off in the direction of a random citizen. No doubt because of what she had said earlier, Claire had elected to go with the brooding Nyx Pinion rather than let the siblings pair up, leaving her to babysit the absent-minded Amber. The redhead was focusing on a man that was standing at the street corner, waiting for the light to change so he could cross the road.

Even as Amber moved toward him, Weiss caught a tiny wrist in her own hand, holding the girl in place and earning a bewildered look in response. "Would you stop doing that?" Even as the words left her mouth, she saw the wide fiery eyes glance back to the man. "And don't you dare drop a cryptic statement about how 'he hurts'! We're supposed to be looking for Ruby, remember?" That brought the girl back around, and those burning orbs narrowed into a curious expression that only served to irritate her further. "What?!"

"Are we not looking for Blake, as well?" Weiss felt a vein in her neck pulse as the mention of the newly revealed Faunus on her team caused a spike of anger to shoot through her chest, glaring down at the shorter girl. It occurred to her then that physically controlling Amber would not be difficult in the least, as the Pinion girl was of slender build even compared to herself. Tiny and looking as though she wouldn't possess much in the way of strength, her companion still managed to persist as a thorn in her side with that unnerving insight that was granted by a unique semblance. "Or does your anger blind you to her view of things?"

"You're one to talk." A part of her realized how arguing this point made her look, but Weiss couldn't back down. Before her lay a path of burnt bridges and shattered friendships, but behind was a moor of self-hatred and a confrontation with certain established truths from her childhood. There was no easy way out, and though the rational side of her mind realized this, her very nature demanded that she barrel into the problem without thought of restraint. "Do you even have your own perspective, your own thoughts? You can't even walk down the street without getting lost in the feelings of another person, how could you ever think to judge me?"

Weiss growled when those red eyes lost their inquisitive form and instead changed to one more consistent with sympathy, the strange girl more concerned with her feelings and lacking the decency to even act insulted. It was like punching a wall and expecting it to crumble, only this wall stared back with worry, with pity. "I just don't see the point to all these arguments.. Why wouldn't you give her even the chance to explain herself?" There was a moment a silence, and the first true indication that she had ever seen of the gears turning beneath Amber's unusually altruistic personality as the girl's head tilted to the side. "Why is it that when you seem angry, you're really just afraid?"

Blinking as she felt her fingers uncoil from the slender wrist that had been caught in their grasp, Weiss took a half step back from the smaller girl. It took a moment for her to remember that she was at a disadvantage in this engagement, as the other could easily read her emotions, despite any walls she might erect to hide behind. "Why would I be afraid?"

"My semblance only allows me know what people are feeling, not why." Amber reached forward, patting a palm against the heiress' shoulder with a small smile. "Perhaps that's a question you should ask yourself?" Stepping past the platinum-haired girl, she continued down the road in pursuit of the pair they were searching for. Through the threads of her own aura that weaved together with the bristling white of Weiss' own energy, she could feel the waves of conflicting emotions that were swirled into the chaos of confusion, and knew that her words had struck true. It was all she could hope for that it would end up helping the poor girl.

* * *

"Blake." The sound of her name being spoken so softly by the girl that walked beside her caused both sets of ears to twitch as she turned to face the other brunette. "What's the goal here? I mean.. I'm glad I came with you, and that you trusted me enough to tell me about your past, but.." She didn't dare acknowledge the way she was holding her breath as those beautiful silver eyes opened and bared her soul before them, fear thundering into her heart as the notion of being abandoned ran through her mind. "We will have to go back to Beacon eventually."

Blake could hear the part that went unsaid as Ruby looked away from her, the part where even if she didn't return to the academy, the scythe-wielder would. It shouldn't have hurt as much as it did to realize that their paths would still diverge if things continued the way that they had, but it set a cold feeling to the embers within her heart, tainting every moment she spent with this girl who had so entirely captured her affection. "I.. I don't know."

Stopping as they turned down an alley, she watched as the younger girl took a few more steps before wheeling around, watching her with a careful expression. "I want to go back, but the things that Weiss said- The things that the White Fang have done to her family.. And now she knows." Blake let her voice drop to a soft whisper, her eyes unable to remain at the same level as the beautiful pools of argent color that waited for her only a couple of feet away. "She must hate me so much."

Shutting out the world by closing her eyes, Blake disguised the attempt to hold back tears as her mind felt it prudent to remind her once again of the future she had lost because of her past. She was successful as well, holding to her stoic self and resisting the urge to cry. Then fingers smaller than her own curled into her palm, taking the hand from where it lay at her side, causing her to look up with a raised eyebrow. What awaited her was a sight that caused her breath to hitch and heart to skip, as bangs highlighted with red dye were playfully parted to reveal a bright and optimistic grin. "I think you should talk to her. Weiss can be difficult, I know. Believe me, I know.."

There came a whimsical laugh that she understood was more for her benefit than Ruby's, as the serious glint in the younger girl's eyes never once faded away. "But she isn't heartless. You left that life behind, and you weren't responsible for what happened to her family, right?" A slight twinge of fear sounded from the question, enough that Blake made sure to shake her head immediately. "See? You deserve a second chance. She'll see that."

It was always a treat to be allowed a glimpse into the world through the eyes of Ruby Rose, at least to Blake. Like a refreshing rain on a warm day, it lifted her spirits and renewed convictions that had been worn down by the previous days. Gently extracting the fingers that were bound in the younger girl's hand, she moved further down the alley. "You might be right. But.. I can't go back until I know for sure if the White Fang is behind these murders. It doesn't make any sense for them to choose these targets, but I have to know."

"Okay." Stepping up beside her, the scythe-wielder flashed a broad grin her way before looking out onto the street that lay past the exit of the alley. "Where do we start?"

"First off, 'we'?" Blake's words caused the other to turn with a confused expression, one that became more cautious when the girl saw the smile present on her lips. "You do know that Yang will kill me if I get you caught up in this, right?"

"Well I've already dodged her calls and texts, and I mean we're here right now.." Ruby took a moment to gesture about before raising her shoulders in a helpless shrug and a cute laugh with a nasally twang to it, the unintentional sound giving it more qualities of a snort than what she had wanted. It flooded her head with thoughts of embarrassment before she could shake it off. "Too late for you, I guess." She cleared her throat awkwardly as she grew quiet, looking down at the ground for a moment and glancing away, toward the graffiti that decorated the nearby wall. "I'm.. I'm with you, Blake. I want to make sure you can come back."

She didn't dare look up at the Faunus, feeling the heat that was beginning to spread across the surface of her cheeks as she felt one of the older girl's arms slide about her shoulders and pull her into a one-handed hug. Not reacting fast enough, she braced the flat palm of her right had against the other's rib cage, her blush only growing as she tucked her head beneath Blake's chin with a surprised noise. "Thank you, Ruby." The embrace was over as quickly as it had begun, and she suppressed a whine as fingers raked across the side of her neck before lifting away.

When she regained the ability to think straight, she rose her gaze to find the Faunus staring out of the alley, back to her and emitting a thoughtful hum. "If the White Fang is responsible for these robberies, they've been escalating for some time. First it was the Dust Shops down in the Commercial District, then it was the Warehouses in the Industrial areas.. And did you see the harbor today when we were at the diner?" Blake turned back to face her, the light olive color of the older girl's cheek still darker than the rest of the surrounding skin. "Massive Schnee freighters were pulling in, probably to resupply what's already been stolen. Steal enough that they have to ship in more and more Dust, then just steal that.. It's actually pretty simple."

"So.." Stepping up in front of the taller girl, Ruby tilted her chin up to look Blake directly in the eyes, finding that the bright pools of gold that awaited her were lit with a impassioned flame. It caused her heart to flutter and her stomach to squirm with nervousness to see the Faunus this way, the way that had initially drawn her attention during the weeks they had spent at school. Gulping down the stubborn ball of anxiety that was threatening to rise, she rose her confidence by flashing a dangerous grin and continued. "We need to go there, and make sure that it isn't the White Fang that tries to steal it."

"Right. But, I-Um.." Blake looked away from the way that the younger girl was looking at her, that mixture of unquestioning loyalty and support that caused her nerves to wring themselves into tight knots. She struggled to force her lips to form the query that was on her mind, stumbling over it a few times before managing to sufficiently collect herself. "What if it is?"

A light touch caused the muscles of her abdomen to stiffen as the soft pads of the other brunette's fingers danced over the exposed skin of her belly, and the girl spoke in a tone of certainty as Ruby slipped by her, the younger girl seemingly oblivious to the effect the simple contact had on her. "Then we stop them."

* * *

"Hey, have you seen this girl?" Yang held up her scroll, the screen of the mobile device displaying a picture of her little sister, and turned it towards the shopkeeper of the book store. Burly and sporting wild sideburns that gave him a feral look, the man took a moment to study the picture before shaking his head. She resisted the urge to let out a disappointed sigh as she lowered her arm and gave him a grateful nod. "Thanks anyway."

Turning to leave the store, she pushed open the door and stepped into the afternoon sun, standing on sidewalk of downtown Vale. Leaning against the nearby streetlight was the girl who had chosen to accompany her when their small party had split into pairs, watching the random citizens that passed by with an interested expression. When the Faunus noticed her, the indigo eyes widened and the girl bounded over to her, tail raised high into the air before it was obvious that the search continued to be fruitless. It filled her with a strange sense of compounded sadness at watching the fox tail slowly deflate from its excited stance. "Still nothing?"

"Still nothing." Yang didn't bother to contain her frustration, not from Iris, and slid the scroll back into her pocket with an annoyed growl. When she withdrew her hand, it immediately curled into a fist clenched tight enough to turn her knuckles white. It had only been a few hours, but the hope that she had held at the beginning of their search had slowly diminished over the course of a couple dozen storefronts and cafes. "This is so stupid!"

Moving as if she was going to punch the wall, she found her hand caught at the wrist and pulled back with a surprising amount of force. Iris had stopped her, the fox-girl's expression one of sympathy as she was pulled into a gentle hug. Taller than the other girl, Yang rested her chin comfortably on the offer shoulder, uncaring of the people that passed them by and shot curious glances in their direction. "We'll find them, don't worry." Supportive as always, the Faunus hadn't shown any signs of slowing in their search, even when the owner of a store a couple of blocks back had threatened to kick them out simply because he suspected her of stealing on the basis of her race.

Pulling away from the blonde with a wide smile, Iris chuckled at the soft expression that dominated Yang's face. It was a far cry from the ferocity she had just witnessed moments before, and the knowledge that she had such an effect on the brawler was quickly becoming a boon. She reached up and slipped her hand around the back of the girl's neck, pulling her down and into a quick kiss, their first since the dorm room three days ago, and relatively chaste when compared to those others.

Her bold move lit a fire under her heart, causing the organ to amplify its beating against her ribs, carrying enough force that she could actually feel each thump as the other pair of lips closed down about her bottom one for a brief moment. Heat flushed against her skin as she was pulled into a tight embrace, a strong arm wrapping around her slim waist, and she once again experienced firsthand that furnace that was Yang Xiao Long. Whether by blush or the brawler's temperature, Iris felt her cheeks ignite as she slipped her other hand around the other girl's shoulders and settled her head down against a scarf that covered a collarbone.

It was hard to remember what they were there for, as the position and the warmth filled her with a deep sense of tranquility. Keeping her voice barely above that of a whisper, she let her fingers dig into the material of the jacket she now clung to. "We'll find them." Sliding back, Iris let out a small laugh at the protesting whine that accompanied her departure, grinning from ear to ear as she let her hand glide down the other girl's side until it reached the waiting fingers below. "Come on."

* * *

The sun was beginning to dip towards the horizon as Claire reached the end of the long street she and Nyx had just spent the better part of two hours going door to door on. For the first time since they had started, one of the waitresses of the last store they had checked, a small diner, told them that she had seen the two girls they had described around midday. It wasn't much, but after the long while of turning up nothing, it was enough to drive them onwards.

"You saw her? Where?" She watched as Nyx lowered his scroll and questioned the citizen standing nearby on the sidewalk. The target of his inquisition was a girl a few years younger than them, a pretty blonde who was clearly more focused on him than the questions that were being posed to her. Claire rolled her eyes as the girl pointed off in a general Western direction, then asked her teammate for his scroll number.

She had to admit, it was more than a little amusing to watch the reserved and uptight heir to the Pinion fortune be caught off guard so easily. Running a hand through his black hair, the boy stuttered over a half dozen words before letting out a shaky laugh and shrugging his shoulders, not so oblivious to the girl's intent as she had originally thought. Moving forward with purposeful strides, Claire caught the top of his shoulder in her hand, drawing both of other teenagers' gazes. "He's got a girlfriend, but thanks for the information."

There was a flash of disbelief in the girl's eyes that caused her grin to slip for a moment as she realized that the passerby was now thinking that she had insinuated that Nyx's significant other was herself. Cringing inwardly as the girl stomped off with a disappointed gait, she released her teammate and groaned as she heard him chuckle. "I had that handled, Briar."

"You were trying to let her down easy, I know." Pinching the bridge of her nose as she shook her head, Claire turned and glanced at the boy with a grin born of self-deprecation. "I just didn't want to waste the poor girl's time, given how she was beginning to fawn over you."

"..Right." Conceding the point to her, he turned to face the direction the girl had pointed, lifting his chin somewhat before continuing. "She said she was coming from the harbor when she saw them.. Why would they go to the shipyards?"

Claire rose both palms up in a shrug, shaking her head to accompany the gesture as she stepped past the Pinion heir with a wry smile painted upon her lips. "No idea, Nyx. Let the others know where to head, yeah?" Taking a moment to point an extended finger at the scroll in her teammate's hand, she fell into a step back and turned on her heel, marching off toward the Industrial district of Vale. "We don't need Schnee complaining that we weren't keeping her updated."

* * *

Blake had settled in for the long haul atop a rooftop overlooking the part of the harbor that housed three Schnee Dust Company freighters of immense size, the cargo containers that they had once carried now stacked on the docks of the shipyards, awaiting the morning crews that would sort and ship the freight to its intended destination. But for now, it was a low hanging fruit right for the picking, with little more security that a few cameras that adorned the walls of the huge compound.

"Anything yet?" The quiet words drew her attention back behind her, where her younger teammate was standing holding two cans of soda. In a way, she had enjoyed these three days from school. She had learned next to nothing of the other girl in their mutual silence, but had learned so much more from studying the way Ruby acted when she thought no one else was watching.

Blake had learned quickly how to tell the genuine expressions from those that were manufactured for her benefit, but never once sought to know the reason behind the fake half-smiles and the facade of cheer. There had been too much on her mind in the days since they had left Beacon, too much to deal with to invite in something more. But even now she could see through the mask of a grin that Ruby had erected on her behalf, hiding all the true emotion that had been bared earlier behind it. "Nothing."

"Here, I got this for you." Ruby extended one of the drinks she had toward the Faunus, adjusting her hold to move her fingers from its label and reveal it as one of the more popular sodas, and one that she hoped her teammate would enjoy. The strange look that Blake was giving her right now was a bit unsettling, but the older girl didn't make any noise of disagreement as the soda was taken from her hand. Using the index finger of her freed hand, she popped the top to her own drink and took a long sip, savoring the bitter cherry flavor before swallowing.

Blake pushed herself up into a kneeling position, glancing between the drink that had been offered to her and the other brunette. It wasn't hard to admit that however cute the girl looked normally, Ruby was downright close to being called a goddess from where she sat. Standing over her, the younger girl was framed by the shattered remains of Remnant's Moon, the bright silver color contrasting with the black and red outfit, but matching the bright pools of the scythe-wielder's eyes beautifully. It was breathtaking, so much so that she had to take a moment and collect herself as she opened the soda in her hand to distract her thoughts. "Where did you get these?"

"There's a machine down on the street a couple buildings back." The girl jerked a thumb over a shoulder covered by the flowing red cape that seemed to adorn Ruby's every outfit, ending the gesture with a light shrug. Blake gave a nod before sipping at the liquid that was bubbling up through the now opened lid, making a face when the carbonated drink burned down her throat. "Did you want another flavor?"

She moved to shake her head, but was forced to cover her sensitive eyes as a Bullhead suddenly thundered by overhead, it's lights causing the relatively dark area to grow blinding for a moment as it passed by. The air current generated by its engines displaced most the tarps that covered part of the roof they occupied, kicking up a small cyclone of dust that obscured her vision for a moment. Blake sat the soda down to the side and resumed her form position of leaning over the edge of the tall building, eager to get a better look at these new arrivals.

A warm shoulder bumped against her own as Ruby joined her, the hooded girl peering down over the ledge with what looked to be little regard for their proximity. Blinking a few times, Blake finally forced herself to tear her gaze back to the airship that had landed in the wide open area in the middle of the dock. It's ramp descended to make contact with the ground, and out poured six armed figures clad in armor and robes that were far too familiar. "Is that them?"

The innocuous question stung more than she thought it would, as she held out a brief hope that those below were not members of the same group she had dedicated much of her life to. As one of the robed males turned to beckon into the transport with his free hand, she caught a clear sight of the emblem splashed across the back of the white fabric. A beowulf howling, and three bloody gashes slashing through it. "It's them." She punched a closed fist into the concrete of her perch with a growl, ignoring the lance of pain that shot through her limb in retaliation. "Somehow I knew it had to be, but I hoped.. I don't know why I was so naive."

A hand ghosted over her arm, the soft touch of fingers attempting to comfort her as she glared down at the Faunus troops gathering below. It looked to be a small strike squad, enough to secure what they needed before moving on. What didn't make sense to her is why they would risk attacking such a large target if they didn't intend to haul all of the cargo away. Blake felt her eyes narrow as she thought to pose the question to her teammate in an effort to gain a different perspective of the current events, but paused when a voice sounded out from the Bullhead, and a new figure emerged. "Won't you animals get a move on, already? Secure the area and get the first tow cables set up!"

Wearing a white suit and idly twirling a cane around two fingers, the newcomer flicked a finger against the brim of a black bowler hat before waving dismissively at the few Faunus that were still loitering near the entrance to the ship. "This isn't right." Blake could hear the disbelief in her own voice as she studied the man, a thousand different questions racing through each thought as she struggled to find a reason for what was happening. "The White Fang would never work with a Human. Especially one like that."

"Wait, I know him." Ruby recognized the man's outfit immediately, having seen him only a few weeks prior to now. He had been there the night she was accepted into Beacon. He had practically been the reason behind her acceptance in the first place. "He was the one that I stopped from robbing that Dust store.. But, he only had Humans with him then."

"You're sure?" Glancing over to find two amber eyes glowing lightly in the darkness, she gave a steady nod, positive that this was the same man whose goons she had fought off that night. "I need answers, then." Without another word, she watched as Blake launched over the edge of the building. From where she sat, she saw the way the older girl landed gracefully and pulled Gambol Shroud from where it lay across the Faunus' back.

It was all too quick for her to react, leaving her kneeling at the edge with a had outstretched. "Wait, Blake!"

* * *

**Author's Note: So I just realized I answered reviews in the last chapter pretty much out of habit. It's something I did for one of my previous stories and it ended up adding a lot of words to the overall count. To avoid this, I'm just going to to not do that unless you guys ask me to. Probably the best way to handle it. As always, thank you all for following, favoriting, and reviewing, and I hope to hear more from you soon! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! -Fox**


	11. Bloodied Wings

**_Roses &amp; Thorns_ – Volume 1 – Chapter 11**

**-Bloodied Wings-**

* * *

Blake slid through the tight space between two cargo containers, trying her best to ignore the giant snowflake design that marked them as Schnee Dust Co. property. It used to fill her with anger to see that logo, the righteous sort of spark that ignites when coming face to face with an object of hatred. Now, it only served to replace that fury with a deep mire of guilt, her own experience having been placed to mirror that of another teenage girl on the other side of the conflict. Weiss had suffered loss, just like she had, and the heiress had suffered it at the hands of the group she once belonged to.

Pushing off from the side of the huge metal box, she kept close the shadows as she slipped into the main area of the docks. At this range, she could clearly see that the Faunus moving around were members of the White Fang, all of them bearing the iconic masks that the group used to conceal their identities. It brought to mind the one that she still owned, wrapped in a cloth and hidden in the depths of her own personal bookshelf back in the dorm at Beacon.

"Hurry it up, mutt!" The man that she had spotted from her earlier vantage point was berating one of the White Fang soldiers, blowing smoke from a lit cigar as he spoke to the Faunus. "Do you even understand what 'timetable' means, or why we need to keep to it? Attach those cables and we can get out of the hell hole before someone notices the tripped alarm."

What surprised Blake most wasn't just that the Faunus seemed to accept the insults in stride, but that the masked figure took it a step further and dipped into a low bow. That was when caution was thrown into the wind for her. Whatever it was that was going on here, she needed to know, and she needed to know it now. Tearing the ribbon from her hair to expose the cat ears that signaled her heritage to world, she charged into the clearing, reaching the man in the suit before any in the immediate area could react.

"What the-" Placing the back edge of Gambol Shroud's katana blade to the criminal's throat, Blake took careful measure to aim the pistol grip towards the White Fang members that outnumbered her, and were now very aware of her presence. The application of pressure on the sword silenced her hostage for a moment, but it didn't take long for him to regain his composure and glance at the rest of the Faunus in the area with a bored expression. "Oh for fucks sake. Really? You animals are just going to sit there?"

Ignoring the Human for the time being, she glared over the man's shoulder toward the other thieves, watching as they glanced between themselves. It was obvious they had noticed her ears, given the hesitance they displayed for simply attacking and overwhelming her, and that gave her the opening she needed. "Brothers of the White Fang! How can you stand by while this man insults you so?"

There came a dark chuckle that rumbled through the chest she stood behind, and the man it belonged to clicked his tongue at her as if she were nothing more than a disobedient child. "Listen here kid, you're either out of the loop, or not a part of the gang. Either way, I've got an appointment to meet, and your allotted time is up." Even as Blake moved to press her weapon closer to his exposed neck in order to quiet him, the criminal she held threw his head back. The solid bone of his skull collided with the soft cartilage of her nose, filling her ears with the noise of the delicate organ shattering as the intense flash of pain blinded and disabled her. Her aura could do little more than keep the skin intact, it's purpose ill-suited to stop the blunt force of the attack.

Her control on Gambol Shroud became loose enough that she felt the man slip out of her grasp. Immediately following that an object impacted her stomach with enough force that it doubled her over and sent her stumbling back a half dozen steps. The haze of pain lifted somewhat, allowing Blake to dodge the next attack, rolling out of the way of a flare that was fired from the end of the man's cane. Her aura beamed for a single instant as she activated her semblance, summoning a near perfect clone of herself as she dove backwards, the wet dripping from her broken nose enough to distract her so that she tripped up and landed on the hard surface of the concrete.

The maneuver served its purpose though, as the second round fired from the Human's weapon destroyed the area she had summoned her clone, buying her the additional second she needed to recover. The blade of Gambol Shroud folded down against the slide of the pistol grip, allowing her increased mobility as she rolled onto her back and began firing at the crowd of thieves. Surprise granted her a glancing hit on the shoulder of the man in the white suit, causing him to cry out as the various Faunus behind him scrambled for cover.

But Blake's luck quickly ran dry as her finger squeezed the trigger as fast as she could manage to aim, focusing on driving one of the braver Faunus back behind the wall as he peeked out to point a rifle in her direction. The distraction cost her, as she saw the man in the suit raise the cane towards her once again, and she was too slow to drag the barrel of her pistol back over to him.

Her ears, both sets of them, caught the sound of the explosion as it blasted over her, but she felt no pain. After a moment of confusion, Blake let her eyes slide back open to find the red ruffles of a skirt rippling in the aftermath of the detonation, a cloud of dust settling towards the ground as the younger girl she had left on the rooftop joined the fray.

* * *

Ruby straightened herself as the smoke screen of the flare faded away, revealing her presence to the criminals that her teammate had seen fit to engage without her. The mocking laugh of Roman Torchwick at his supposed victory was soon sucked between teeth that sat behind lips arranged into a wide, malicious grin. "Well now. Hello there, little Red." Watching as the older man lowered the cane to use it as a support to lean upon, she glared as he regarded her with an condescending smile. "Tell me, are you and I destined to fight over every petty robbery I commit, or do you just stupidly wander into business that isn't yours?"

Anger flared through her chest at the thought of being disregarded so easily in his eyes, causing her to huff in annoyance as she began her retort. "We're here to stop your little crime spree!"

"Oh I wouldn't exactly call it little, Red, not anymore!" As if on his cue, three more Bullheads thundered by overhead, their jets pointed toward the front in order to slow their momentum so they could come to stop over the dock area where she now stood. Each of the aircraft had the symbol of the White Fang painted upon its side, indicating that the man's words rang true. "Ah, right on schedule."

"Not that it matters, of course!" Flicking a finger of his free hand against the brim of the black bowler hat that sat lopsided on his head, the criminal laughed at her as he swung the cane in an arc before bringing its shaft down to create an audible crack against a flat palm. "There isn't a Huntress here to save you, this time. Make yourself useful, mutts, get the girl with the scythe. But leave the kitty cat alive, I think I know who'll just _love _to get her hands on that one."

The glare set in Ruby's eyes only intensified as the man threatened to harm the girl she now protected, and a growl escaped her lips as she readied Crescent Rose. Twirling it first in a wide circle around her right side, she brought it across her chest in an arc that caused the air to whistle as it was displaced by her speed. She finished the flashy display by stepping forward and spinning on the ball of her lead foot, coming down right as the shaft of the enormous weapon pressed against the back of her arm, and the tip of the scythe blade dug a few inches into the ground.

She saw the way her ease at handling the giant weapon caused the first couple of troops to hesitate, throwing their leading attacks off kilter as she readied for them. The first katana came from the right, and she dodged it by jumping up and using the handle of Crescent Rose as a base, kicking out to catch the charging Faunus under the chin with the toe of a boot. Readjusting her hands so she faced the opposite direction, Ruby curled both knees into her chest before launching them back out to the left.

Caught by surprise, her second opponent was hit by both of her boots directly in his chest, throwing him back as she tore the blade of her scythe free from the ground and landed atop the poor Faunus. Spinning Rose around in an arc, she brought it down overhead on the next White Fang that dared to step forward, using the shaft of the weapon as a club to smash into the top of a hooded head. Her target crumpled to the ground in a heap, the clatter of his gun ringing out as she set her eyes on the man in the bowler hat.

"He's mine!" Ruby recoiled in surprise as her teammate rushed past her, seemingly recovered from the earlier beating. It certainly didn't look as though the other girl was okay, as rivulets of blood still streamed down the cat-girl's face, lending the Faunus a fearsome aspect as she engaged the thief. Blake brought the cleaver sheath of her weapon down against the cane, spinning on her heels to deliver the blade of the katana in her other hand in rapid succession. Summoning a clone to take the counterattack, she spun once again and brought both forms of Gambol Shroud down in a diagonal slash form the opposite direction.

But her opponent was fast, much faster than she had anticipated, and both of her blades slammed against the shaft of a cane. She was audience to the grin that waited past that weapon, a broad smile that mocked her and dared her to try again. Blake growled, driven by her anger now as she pulled back and used another clone to launch herself forward and past the man. Shifting the katana in her right hand into a reverse grip, she stabbed backwards, only to have the attack slapped aside as if it was expected. Using the momentum of her failure, she drove into the Human with her second blade.

Again, it met the wall generated by the cane, and she cried out as the agile weapon was brought beneath her own defense and the handle slammed into her rib cage. Not to be dissuaded by the pain that forced the breath from her lungs, she rolled forward, letting yet another clone take the follow up hit as she dodged past the man. With a cry of fury, she spun on the ball of a foot and threw so much force into the strikes that the blades scraped against the ground as she hurtled toward her target.

The katana that led the way was slapped aside as easily as all the rest of her clumsy attacks, while the wrist that held the cleaver was caught in the waiting grasp of the larger and stronger man. Pulled forward, Blake stumbled until a knee was brought up into her stomach and lifted her from the ground. Weakness thundered through her limbs and fingers went limp for a moment as she felt her aura give out completely, and the clatter of her weapons alerting her that she was no longer armed before the next attack came. The length of the cane was slammed down across her back hard enough that it drove her into the concrete below, throwing her to the edge of consciousness as she let out a sharp cry of pain.

* * *

Ruby threw her weight into a backhanded sweep of Crescent Rose, catching the back of the remaining White Fang member's legs and throwing him so violently into the ground that it knocked the Faunus out cold. Turning as her ears caught the sound of a breathless yell, she saw Blake fall the ground before the victorious Roman Torchwick, and she let out a scream of fury as she saw him raise his weapon once again.

Her cry drew his attention, but it was too late to stop her as she dug the side of a boot into the ground and the world grew still. An eruption of rose petals filled the surrounding area as she kicked off, her semblance thrown into overdrive as her fear at losing the girl utterly consumed her. Every step caused her to draw ever closer as the man in the white suit reacted in slow motion, his cane still raised high above his head as she neared.

Bringing the enormous scythe in her hands down in a vicious slash, Ruby didn't bother to aim her strike to impact his body with the blunt shaft of the weapon, instead leading forward with the blade and a murderous instinct. It scored through the thief's aura and generated a display of brilliant orange sparks as it carved into the energy, bringing a glimpse of panic to the back of her thoughts as the notion she had gone too far entered her mind.

Fortunately, the momentum behind the attack outweighed the damage of the blade itself, and the man was flung back from the prone form of her teammate as a whirlwind of rose petals stormed into the area. For a moment, all was still as red clouded her vision in a flowery screen, and the scythe cut a gorge into the concrete as she completed the arc.

As her semblance deactivated, everything came back into focus, and she heard Torchwick cry out as he impacted the ground a few times before settling to a stop a couple dozen feet away. The effort left her drained, and she felt her once-considerable pool of aura lower dangerously. "Don't you dare touch her!" Biting the words through clenched teeth, Ruby took a brief moment to glance down at the stirring form of the other brunette, finding that Blake was alive and conscious, but still disoriented. Holding Crescent Rose aloft, she tore her gaze away from the cat-girl and back toward the enemy.

The anger in her blood chilled almost immediately as she saw all three of circling Bullheads open their transport bays and deploy a dozen more White Fang troops into the dock area, all while Torchwick rose to his feet and dusted off his jacket as if her attack had done little more than ruffle his feathers. To make matters worse, the airships themselves turned their turrets toward her, the triple-barreled guns already beginning to spin.

With only a moment to choose what to do, she bent and wrapped a single arm around the form of Blake, turning her back to the enemy and doing her best to shield the Faunus from the coming volley. A vain hope that her aura would shield the other girl was all that ran through her mind as she clenched her eyes shut. The thunder of the turrets opened up, and all the rest of the noise in the world was drowned out by the screech of gunfire.

A moment later it was over, and she strangely felt none of the impact from the volley. Ruby's eyes shot open, finding the ground beneath her and Blake bathed in a golden light. Blinking rapidly, she slowly rose from the awkward bent position, glancing around for the source of their salvation. It wasn't long before she found the tall boy that had a hand outstretched toward the enemy, the bright glow of aura surrounding his form. Familiar features turned toward her, and a glare was evident upon the handsome face of Nyx Pinion, but with a small measure of relief that could be detected as well.

Ruby slid her gaze past him, to what had truly stopped the bullets from killing both her and Blake. Flowing out through the fingertips of the boy's raised hand and spreading to cover the area in a broad sphere was a shield that glowed with the light of its owner's golden aura. The surface of the protection shimmered and rippled where it had been hit a multitude of times, and from the way the muscles in her savior's body strained, it was beginning to take its toll. With that in mind, she tried to pull herself from the shock that came from surviving when she did not expect to.

Dusky yellow eyes caught her attention, and from the anger seen there she thought it was possible they might take on a illusion of fire like those of the boy's twin. "No time to dally about, Ruby. Get her up!"

* * *

Claire did not allow herself to relax when she saw that Nyx had managed to activate his semblance in time and protect the two girls down below, instead focusing her gaze on the offending gunships that had attacked the two members of team RWBY. "Yang." Speaking the blonde's name brought a flash of lilac eyes that were dangerously close to being consumed entirely by red in her direction, and she extended a single finger to point at the furthest Bullhead. "Throw me."

Reaching out and clasping one of the brawler's hands in her own, she took a moment to use her semblance, lowering her own gravity as she was easily lifted and spun about in a complete circle. She slowly eased the effect of her semblance as the spin completed, allowing a larger build of momentum before she and the other girl released one another, sending her flying toward their target at an extreme speed.

Claire tore Staccato Scar from its place on her belt, leading with its crystalline point and driving it through the windshield of the airship, allowing her to latch onto the transport and slam down against its hull with a growl. The pilot, caught off guard by the curved blade that was suddenly drove into the back of his seat, began to twist the cyclic in an effort to shake her loose. He was far too late, as she activated her semblance in the opposite direction it had been used before, and the steel heels of her boots clanged as she held fast to the body of the ship.

Both hands held tight to the hilt of the saber that was buried nearly its entire length through the thick glass that protected the pilot, and with that established base, she unleashed the full fury of her semblance. Sparks of her aura, reddish-brown in color, began to seep over the metal. The engines began to whine as an extreme force of gravity pushed them past what they were designed for, and the whole ship was pulled from the control of the man inside it. Spinning as it went down, the Bullhead bucked one last time before crashing into the ground. Claire rode it out as the aircraft gouged out an area of the docks, feeling the muscles in her arm tear as she struggled to remain on top of the newly made scrap heap.

The screech of metal filled her ears as the ship dragged along through a pile of cargo containers, knocking them over and tearing open the belly of the craft before the increased gravity finally brought it to a stop. Letting go of her semblance, she nearly fell against her sword as the edges of her vision went black, all but drained of strength and aura for the display. One thing kept her conscious as she stared down in the cockpit, and that was the way the pilot was scrambling for the gun holstered next to him in the small area.

Blinking to clear her vision, Claire reached back and tore Packmaster from where it lay on the back of her belt, bringing it forward and aiming for the area around the hole that her saber had created. Squeezing the trigger, the first burst of three rounds caused a shattering of the glass canopy, one that caused the Faunus within to cringe and miss his opportunity for his shot. She didn't slow, firing again. It was this time the bullets pierced through the weakened surface, bringing with them screams of panic as the Dust contained within the shells detonated against the man's aura.

Again her finger brought the trigger back against the guard, and another three rounds joined the chorus of pain as the weak aura of the thief was broken and the bullets pierced through flesh. Claire saw victory near, but then watched as it was robbed as the window shattered and pitched her forward. Thrown past the cockpit, she tumbled into the debris beneath where the Bullhead had come to a stop, losing her hold on Staccato Scar as she fell.

Letting out a groan as she felt a collection of new bruises settle into her back, she rolled over and brought the pistol in her hand to bear once again, only to find that her effort was for naught. The pilot was moaning weakly in the same position she had last seen him, his hands held up to chin height in a gesture of surrender as they stared at one another. Claire let herself chuckle as deep breaths gave way to a tired grin, still looking down the barrel of her gun at the other Faunus when she closed one brown eye in a wink. "..Good boy."

* * *

Having thrown a crazy wolf-girl at a gunship, Yang was left with nothing more to do than seethe at the gathered White Fang members that had been about to murder her little sister. Rational thought was consumed by fire as she let out a genuine roar of fury and charged off the rooftop. Kicking against the edge of the building as she passed it, she generated enough speed to clear the gap to the stack of cargo that was marked with the Schnee Dust Co. logo, skidding along the top of the metal containers as Ember Celica slid into position over her wrists.

Clearing the slightly lower elevation and launching into the middle of the open area, there was little of the calm Yang left in her to worry about the dozens of White Fang that waited for her below. Leading with a punch that she drove into the ground, she threw the full force of her aura behind it, causing an explosion that threw shards of concrete in different directions. The shockwave she created rippled outward into the two Faunus that she landed in the middle of, causing them to cry out as they found themselves thrown free from the area as well.

Rising and facing the remaining horde of enemies, she donned a crazed grin as blades and guns were leveled in her direction. Raising both of her fists, Yang smashed them together with a confident yell before rushing the nearest Faunus, depriving them of the advantage their ranged weapons would bring by placing him between her and their bullets. Smashing aside the incoming katana, she followed through by grabbing her opponent by the scruff of his shirt and pulling him forward. Throwing her head toward the man, she headbutted him with enough force that it cracked the mask he wore.

When she let go of his clothing, the Faunus crumbled down in a pile, exposing the next of her targets. Unfortunately, the thieves and their leader had recovered from the sudden appearance of reinforcements, and she found a number of firearms now trained upon her as she glared back at the enemies that surrounded her. Turning to cover all sides, she saw the one in a white suit mockingly wag a gloved finger in her direction as he raised a cane to point at her.

Yang didn't feel the fear that he hoped to instill within her. In her rage, all she saw was an enemy who needed to be pummeled into a puddle, but was stopped from charging him as she saw the way the thieves all closed ranks. They moved into a semi circle, speaking to one another in encouraging words meant to spur on an attack against her. Even as the man in the bowler hat raised a hand to signal the beginning of the coming barrage, he froze when a smaller form landed to the side of her. The newcomer straightened, and the defiant glare evident in the fox-girl's indigo eyes caused a smile to tug at the corners of her lips.

She watched as Iris spun a gun-blade in a fanciful flourish before settling it into a ready position, and another of their classmates joined them as Weiss landed next to the Faunus. The heiress assumed a sophisticated fencing posture, flicking the point of a rapier up until it was leveled at the gathered gang of criminals, the girl's pale blue eyes set into an icy gaze.

On Yang's left landed one of the Pinion twins, the short girl taking up the bladed chakrams and igniting their edges in a burning aura, ready to cover the flank. It wasn't long before Nyx joined his sister, skidding to a stop after running over to them, Winged Triumph in his hands. He locked the hilts of the scimitars together, causing the bow string of plasma energy to appear between the two points as he took aim at the White Fang troops.

In the back of her mind, even in the midst of her enraged state, the notion of Ruby's whereabouts pinged into Yang's thoughts and demanded an answer as she glanced toward the area she had last seen her sister. It was then she caught the way Nyx gave her a subtle nod, and that was enough to allay her concern as she turned back to the thieves, her lips pulling back into a predatory grin. She swung her arm back, bent at the elbow, and loaded another shell into Ember Celica as she spoke. "Let's finish this."

* * *

Roman Torchwick was many things. Professional thief, habitual gambler, all around dashing rogue and sometimes accomplice to nefarious plots to undermine the established order. What he was not, was stupid. It didn't take a genius to see that the tide had turned with the arrival of the six new kids, even with the first two out of commission for the time being. He was down however many men, and one Bullhead. This mission was far from salvageable, and once again it was all because of little Red's interference.

Growling as the Hunters-in-training gave a yell and charged at the newly recruited members of the White Fang, he flicked the switch at the end of Melodic Cudgel and fired a smoke grenade into the space between him and the kids. Propelled by the explosion of white Dust, the haze of fog exploded across the entire area, and he turned on a heel and began walking towards the Bullhead he had arrived in.

Inside the shroud he had created, the battlefield became a pit of chaos as screams from the Faunus could be heard. Even as Roman watched, one of the animals was thrown clear of the smoke screen and collapsed into a pile after smashing into the side of a cargo container. Shaking his head, he retreated into the transport bay of the waiting aircraft, pounding his closed fist against the door that separated him from the cockpit. "Neo, take off!"

Engines kept at the ready, the pilot obeyed the order without question, and the ship bucked as it lifted from the ground. Through the smoke shot out streaks of golden light that impacted one of the other Bullheads that was circling the area, the plasma energy melting the hull it was fired into. Following it to the source of the attacks, he found the tall boy with the bladed bow kneeling at the edge of the screen he had created, the young man pulling back another shot to harass the aircraft. With a groan of annoyance, Roman raised his cane and used the crook of his weapons handle to close the side door of the aircraft. It came just in time, as he heard something slam into the hull a few feet past the passenger compartment. "..Fucking kids."

* * *

Amber watched from the center of the battlefield as the airship carrying the man in the white suit continued its retreat, the form of Skia buried to the hilt into the area just behind the wings. With only Fos in hand now, she ducked under a katana as it cut through the air above her, kicking out into the shin of a Faunus that had attacked her. With so many involved in the battle, and so many auras flaring in rapid succession, her semblance was serving only to disable her as she felt each hit shudder through the connections to her own energy.

Gritting her teeth as she rose, she spun on a heel to deliver a slap with the flat side of her circular blade to the head of the bent man that had engaged her. The attack caused little damage, but managed to remove him from her immediate area as she moved to find a place to get out of the thick of the battle. An opening appeared as the circling of a Bullhead above cleared some of the smoke away, and she sprinted for it.

She caught the red glint of an incoming blade out of the corner of her eye, a wild strike not meant for her but coming in her direction nonetheless. Launching herself forward and over the sword, Amber tucked her head toward her chest and entered a short roll that deposited her back onto her feet on the other side. Free from the thickest pocket of the overlaying fog, she turned her attention skyward as she ran, searching for the airships that still threatened her friends.

One of them had followed the ship that had retreated, but the last was attempted to focus down on her brother as Nyx harried its efforts to contribute to the battle. Arrows made entirely of golden plasma slammed into its hull again and again as the pilot tried his best to dodge the projectiles and line up a shot with the Bullhead's turret. Winding back her arm, Amber used her free hand to line up the shot before hurling her disc-shaped weapon in the direction of the glass canopy that protected the cockpit.

Her attack came too late, as it seemed the pilot was out of patience in dealing with her brother, and out of sympathy for his own comrades. Swinging the nose of the aircraft along the length of their small battlefield, the Faunus within the ship activated the turret and raked the entire area with a barrage of gunfire, the boom of its cannons drowning out the sound of the cries that emanated from within the smoke. For all that anyone else could not hear those screams of pain, Amber was subjected to each and every one of them as they reverberated down the entwined patterns of the combatants auras.

Crying out and clutching at the sides of her head, despite having escaped injury from the rounds that had torn through the docks, Amber fell to her knees. Without her guiding influence, the blades of Fos skittered across the cockpits canopy and the weapon was deflected skyward. Through the haze of agony that permeated the area and forced itself upon her, she reached out and took control of the chakram once again, ripping it back down towards the man who had caused all this pain.

The serrated edge of Fos spun into the glass with enough of her aura behind it that it dug through the fragile layer and slammed into the pilot protected within. His own pool of energy was not sufficient enough before her rage, and the blades of the chakram tore through all that shielded him and then began to cut at flesh, continuing to spin at Amber's machinations.

She felt every slice that tore another length of flesh from his rib cage, every cut that sundered through another bone in his body. All sense of time was lost as the pain she was causing flooded back along connection of their auras, and eventually she felt the spark of life dim before extinguishing completely. Then it all cut away, and for a moment Amber was not subjected to any feelings but her own, the realization of horror seeping into her mind. It was allowed only for a single instant, as the next was filled with the darkening of her vision as she fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

Iris opened her eyes in the aftermath of an explosion created by a crashing Bullhead, groaning as she rose up onto her elbows. The smoke that had covered the area of the docks they had fought in was finally beginning to settle, allowing her to make out the lumps that signaled the fallen bodies of those who had participated in the fighting. She wasn't quite sure what had happened, as one moment she had been performing a parry against two attackers, and the next she had been slammed back into the ground after something had exploded against her chest.

Running a hand over the laced up front of her silk shirt, she found no evidence of wounds, silently thanking her aura for protecting her from whatever she had been hit with. Trying her best to stand, she tried to focus and make out the individual shapes of the prone forms on the ground, but her vision swam as she stumbled forward. Nearly turning a full circle, her eyes settled on the wreckage of the Bullhead, and the fire that was slowly inching towards the cockpit.

A notion to save the pilot trapped inside reached her through the fogged state of her mind, and Iris moved forward. A shoe caught on the wrist of one of the men she had been fighting, and she came down on a knee as she tripped. The other Faunus was on his stomach, the insignia of the White Fang clear on the back of his white robes as she growled and pushed herself back up.

Without further obstacles, she reached the downed airship in a matter of seconds, shielding her face from the flames that licked further outward with each passing second. When she reached the cockpit, she used her hands to steady herself as she moved along the outer edge, eventually reaching a point where she could see the pilot.

Or rather, what was left of him. The masked Faunus was impaled to the seat behind him by the circular silver blade of Fos, the chakram looking as if it had carved through his chest in a matter of seconds. Bits of gore decorated the entirety of the cockpit, and his exposed organs lay in tatters. Her eyes widened as she took in the macabre scene, and the bile in her stomach surged upwards as she turned away and threw up on the ground in front of her. Weakness in her knees meant that she soon followed, barely managing to catch herself before landing face first in the vomit she had just deposited.

Her thoughts betrayed her, flicking back to a mental picture of the scene she had turned away from, and again her stomach heaved. It caused her buck forward and lose what was left of the light lunch she had eaten earlier that day, even as a series of strange squelching noises reached her ears. Groaning as she wiped the back of a hand against her mouth, Iris was about to turn to see what was causing the disgusting chorus before an arm wrapped itself under her shoulders and lifted her back onto her feet.

"Come away from that, girl." The deep cadence of the voice caused her to glance over even as she covered a cough, finding herself being dragged along by a man with tousled black hair and striking red eyes. He had strong, angled features to his face, and a grim expression set into his lips as he looked down at her.

No more words came as the stranger's gaze slipped away, and she instead fell in line, walking with him until they reached the edge of the battlefield. Those that had participated in the conflict, at least those capable of such things, were beginning to rouse themselves. "Here." The word brought her back around, facing the man as he offered the handle of Fos, which looked to have been cleaned of the red that had been splashed across its surface the last time she had set eyes on it. "I'll notify the authorities. Make sure your friends are alright."

It seemed to be the end of the conversation as he pulled out a scroll and turned away from her, leaving Iris to stare at his back as she gingerly kept a hold on the chakram she had been given. Turning slowly, she found that the dust and smoke had settled enough to reveal the identities of those that littered the former battlefield. Immediately, her gaze sought the golden hair of the girl she had been fighting near before being knocked down, finding it only a few feet from where she had awakened. "Yang!"

Jogging over to the brawler's side, it flooded her with relief to find the girl already beginning to stir and the lilac eyes fluttering open with a mumbled question. "What.. Wha- Happened?"

"I'm not sure.." Biting at her lip, Iris set the chakram to the side and reached down, pulling the blonde up to a sitting position. She watched as the girl surveyed the damage that had been caused, and groaned when she saw the burning wreckage of the airship.

"We are so getting in trouble for this." Yang had meant it as a joke, but the way the Faunus girl looked away let her know that it was far from the appropriate time for such a thing. Reaching out, she found a pale hand and gently entwined her fingers, earning little more than a slight change in the corner of Iris' lips. Without much more to do as she regained her strength, she swept her gaze across the clearing. Nyx was picking himself up off the ground near one of the stacks of cargo containers, the tall Pinion boy looking rather unamused at the change of events.

Worry dictated that she searched for Ruby, despite knowing that her sister had escaped the fight before it had all gone to hell. Her eyes settled on Claire, who looked relatively unscathed as she pushed a wounded member of the White Fang down to his knees before bending to help a white haired girl up from the ground. Weiss was clearly disoriented, as no words of discouragement came from the heiress as the wolf Faunus helped steady her.

To the side stood a newcomer to the ensemble, one with a familiar look about him. Studying the man as he turned and settled his gaze upon her, Yang tilted her head in confusion. "Uncle Qrow?"

* * *

**Author's Note: Action packed chapter, super dense, not a lot of dialogue.. Sorry about that if that isn't your thing? The next chapter will be pretty much the opposite. I still tried to have some characters develop in there, so it should be worth the read, right? Anywho, thanks to all those who followed, and favorited. Special thanks to those who review, I won't lie.. Every time I read a review I want to write a little bit more. So thank you, you're awesome.(Yes, even the guy who seemed surprised about OCs, despite the warning in the first chapter). You all rock! 'Til next time! -Fox**


	12. Uncaring Strings

_**Roses &amp; Thorns **_**– Volume 1 – Chapter 12**

**-Uncaring Strings-**

* * *

"Do you want me to have them sent up?"

"No.." Ozpin watched the recording playing across the display on his desk for a few more seconds before answering, barely giving attention to his words as he saw the playback of Ruby Rose sliding in front of a flare in order to block the attack for her teammate. "Let us wait, and watch for their next move. Give them free reign, for the time being, but keep track of them." The video showed Blake Belladonna struggle to a standing position before charging back into the fray with reckless abandon, and subsequently get beat down by the man in the white suit. "I want to know if they pursue this lead they've discovered."

"You mean to let them go again?" There wasn't an accusatory tone in Memphis Slate's voice, but the Huntress did have an air of disbelief about her. With a hand set on a narrow hip, the woman's steely eyes found his and held his gaze for a moment. "What's your angle?"

Pausing the recording by pressing a finger against the holographic interface, Ozpin leaned back in his chair and straightened, regarding the other three occupants of the room with a raised eyebrow in response to their skepticism. "In a few short weeks, they have done what we have tried for years to do.. They have gotten one step ahead of the enemy. The fact that they have done this without knowing what it was they stumbled on to only doubles the accomplishment. But now.."

He beckoned toward the video, to reference the events that had taken place earlier that night. "Now the first pawn has been moved, and the clock begins to count down. Do we wait for a counterattack, or press the first advantage we've had in years?"

"Those are my nieces down there, Ozpin." It was his old friend, Qrow Branwen, who spoke up. The taller man was standing to the side with folded arms, and had settled a disapproving gaze upon him. "They aren't soldiers."

"I'm quite fond of them as well, Qrow. In truth, I've grown fond of both teams. But this is war, they became soldiers the moment they walked through the doors of my Academy. And we must risk our soldiers if we hope to win." Taking up his cane and standing, Ozpin set a firm hand on the sturdy oak of his desk as he spoke. "Our enemies will not hesitate to kill and sacrifice, and there is far too much at stake for us to falter now. We have already lost so much and gained so little, to stop now would do a disservice to those who have given their lives for this conflict."

Qrow stared at him for a few long seconds before acquiescing with a nod, the man swayed by the memories that his words had inspired, but there was another that held reservations. Glynda cleared her throat before speaking, drawing his attention. "Perhaps pressing the advantage is not the right move here.. We could lose them all if they continue on this course. Soldiers they may be, but they are still children. They are distracted, and fractured by the lies that have surfaced in the last few days."

"She's right." Slate offered an opinion to mix, shrugging as Ozpin slid his gaze over to her. "They are capable when alone, and extraordinary if they work together, but they're still kids." Sighing, the younger woman ran a hand through the mane of coal black hair. "If they move, Qrow and I should be ready to back them up. With us there, they could do this."

Ozpin tapped the end of his cane against the floor once as he listened, his mind deliberating the possibilities. For all that teams RWBY and CAIN had thrown a wrench into the works, they had clearly disrupted part of the enemy's plan. It was worth the risk to allow them to continue, for now. "Then it's settled. We watch, and we wait. With luck, they'll drive our enemy out into the open." Turning to face the blonde woman standing to his right, he adjusted his glasses before speaking. "Glynda, please recall all Beacon Hunters. If we are given the opportunity, I want to strike with our full force."

"It's a gamble to play so many cards at once, sir."

"It is." He wearily agreed with the woman, turning away from the gathered three and facing the clock face that served as a window. Outside, the quiet night life of Vale ran through it's usual motions beneath the shadow of Beacon Academy. "But if it pays off, we could end the war."

* * *

"Well, it doesn't look to be broken." Blake tried her best to not be rude by staring anywhere else but down the shirt of the well-endowed Dr. Sheppard, the older Faunus seemingly oblivious to her struggle as warm hands gently ran along the bridge of her nose. "I think your aura may have taken care of it before ya got back, but if there's any pain later come back, yeah?" She let her eyes slide up as the woman leaned back, watching the long tufted ears twitch for a moment before she nodded. "Good."

"So.. She's not hurt?" It was her partner, Yang, who spoke the question with a tone of genuine concern. The blonde girl stepped up beside the doctor and glanced between the two Faunus. They were in the infirmary, having been directed here by the strange man that had found them at the docks.

"Few bruises. Other than that, ya should be fine."

One of the sky blue eyes closed in a wink in her direction, causing Blake to don a tiny smile that lasted a brief moment before pain exploded on the side of her face. Unaware that a blow had been incoming, she barely caught herself on the side of the bed as a gasp escaped her lips. "Yang!" Ruby's voice reached her ears, and she swung her gaze back to her partner, finding the brawler glaring at her.

"That was for putting my sister in danger!" Eyes that were usually a hue of brilliant lilac color had now become pools of a vibrant and angry red, alerting Blake to the fact that she was lucky Yang had only slapped her. Without much more warning than she had received for the slap, the blonde surged forward and wrapped toned arms around her shoulders, pulling her into a tight embrace. For a split second, she was worried that the stronger girl was going to try and suffocate her, until she felt a palm gently run down her back. "And that's for coming back.."

Pulling back, the blonde smiled as if the stark contrast between the two actions was somehow normal circumstance. It left Blake in a state of confusion, as if she had been thrown into a whirlwind and then tossed out just as quickly. To the side, Ruby wore a wide grin that let on none of the concern that the younger girl had showed just a few seconds earlier, but the fourth member of their team remained unamused.

"Just like that?" Blake's eyes snapped to the person she had been avoiding since they had all stepped into the Bullhead that had arrived from Beacon, the heiress' pale blue eyes narrowed into a glare in Yang's direction. "A slap and she's forgiven?" Those cold orbs finally found her, and whatever measure of comfort or hope that had returned on coming back to the Academy immediately melted away. "Not only did you lie to us, you put yourself and Ruby into danger! You avoided us for three days, forcing all of us to come looking for you, where we were put into further danger! Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

The fury evident in Weiss' voice was frightening, as the heiress had displayed a sense of control even when Blake had fought with her teammate over the issue of the White Fang. It was now that she realized some bridges might have been burned forever, and she struggled to meet the icy gaze again after she looked away, knowing that the girl was correct on all accusations. She had lied, she had forced a battle where there could have been none. For some reason, the charge that cut the deepest was that she had placed Ruby into direct danger, recalling a memory of the girl fearlessly stepping in to protect her.

Weiss was right. She had been exactly what the heiress had feared the moment Blake had revealed herself as a Faunus and former member of the White Fang: A threat to the team and their friends. Even more damning, she had placed a girl she had come to care deeply for into harm's way. Clamping down on her hopeless thoughts before they forced her into a state of mind where all she could think of was fleeing, her ears focused again on the immediate surroundings, hearing the quiet ushering of the Schnee heiress towards the door by one of the other team's members.

Glancing up for a moment, she found that Claire had taken Weiss under a comforting arm, the slender shoulders of the white haired girl shaking as if she were sobbing as they exited the infirmary together. A stunned silence followed their departure, and Blake failed do more than return her eyes to the floor. Speaking downwards, she directed her next question towards the doctor that now stood at the next bed. "Is Amber going to be alright?"

Dawn didn't seem perturbed by their infighting, or the shouting, the older Faunus mumbling something about 'children' before speaking up. "Should be right as rain in an hour or so, once her aura has come back fully. Seems she expended it all very quickly, but I didn't find any wounds." Blake looked up as the doctor stuffed hands into the pockets of a white lab coat, the lynx ears atop the woman's head tilting to the side. "Best worry about yourself, yeah? That girl doesn't seem like the forgiving type." A brief, sad smile was sent her way before Dr. Sheppard moved out into the main aisle of the room. "Stick 'round long as you like, girls, just don't make too much noise. G'night."

"Night!" Chipper as ever, it was Yang who responded to the woman, before turning her gaze upon a certain fox Faunus who had been uncharacteristically silent since they had returned. "You know what? We should probably shuffle off to bed as well, 'cause I'm beat." Moving over and draping an arm across Iris' shoulder, she felt the shorter girl tense but accept the intrusion once she was identified. The reaction only served to feed her growing curiosity as she gave a short wave in the direction of her two remaining teammates. "Better see you back in our room, Blake."

"You will." Her younger sister was the one that responded, the dyed bangs being brushed back by a hand as Ruby gave her a more serious look than the tone of the girl's voice would have implied. "Good night Yang, good night Iris."

"Hey Ruby." She perked up at the sound of her name, sliding her gaze away from her departing sister to the boy who stood over the bed next to the one Blake was sitting on. Nyx Pinion touched his twin's shoulder gently before looking up at her. "Let her know I'll be in the dorm when she wakes up, will you?"

"No problem, Nyx. Thank you again for the save." The boy flashed a winning grin in her direction, his hand lingering on his sister's shoulder before he gave a nod and turned away. Ruby watched him follow the rest of her friends, the small smile on her lips one of gratitude for the way he had rushed in to protect her and Blake. At the thought of her teammate, she looked back to find those beautiful golden orbs locked onto her with a desperate look in their depths. "What's wrong?"

* * *

"Let go of me!" Claire released her grasp on the smaller girl's shoulder as the heiress shoved open the dorm room door, having steered Weiss here as the girl had silently let tears that had been held in for far too long out. Following after a moment, she turned and closed the door with a quiet click, her hand lingering on the door knob as she considered the implications of team RWBY's argument. "How could she just carry on as if she did nothing wrong, as if we'd just welcome her back with open arms?! She's a terrorist, she admitted as much before she ran out!"

Turning in surprise to find the heiress to the most powerful company in the world venting to her, of all people, Claire felt her eyes widen as the girl wiped the few tears that remained away and stamped a foot. "And then she just charges in-" Waving a wild gesture, Weiss turned away from her and began pacing. "-risking her and Ruby's lives without so much as a backwards glance! She didn't even apologize! Just silence, always silence, as her actions throw the consequences onto the rest of us!"

Weiss whirled on her in a fury, glaring in a manner that Claire guessed wasn't directed at her. "Even you are self-aware enough to know when an apology is needed!"

"Oh, thanks." Tilting her head as she spoke in a dry tone, she watched as the girl realized that what had been meant as a compliment was just as easily insulting, and the heiress was quiet for a few moments.

"I'm sorry.." Blinking as her smile was swept away, Claire stared as the girl before her stopped moving, facing away from her and speaking quietly. "For what I said before, out on the training fields. You were right that I was pushing myself too hard, but I couldn't listen." As Weiss turned back to face her, she made a conscious effort to close her mouth, in order to not scare off this new side of the heiress that had surfaced. "I know I'm a bitch sometimes, I do.. It just, takes time for me to come around."

"Don't, uh, don't sweat it." Rubbing the back of her neck, she looked away from the girl as she spoke. The strange swing from anger to issuing an apology had set her off-kilter, but she did her best to encourage this new take on things. "But wouldn't it be better if you repaired things with Blake? No matter what she's done in the past, I think she deserves a chance, at least." Even before she had finished speaking, she could see the way that Weiss was beginning to refuse the suggestion, and she cut off the heiress off. "Look, you know what the White Fang is, what they've done. But did you ever stop to consider what the SDC has done to Faunus all over the world?"

"What.." Weiss bit her lip as she struggled to contain the part of her that wanted to lash out against the question that had been asked, instead settling for folding her arms and glaring at the taller girl as she took a deep breath a continued in a more even tone. "What do you mean?"

She watched as the other thought for a moment, the wolf-girl clearly collecting her thoughts before continuing. "I mean.. You've seen the worst that my race can offer. For years, you've watched as family and friends have been killed by the White Fang from the shadows. You've been hunted from the moment you first drew breath, and you've known it, too." It could have just been her own perception, but to Weiss it sounded like Claire had rehearsed this speech. "But now you have to think from what the world has looked like through Blake's eyes."

The wolf ears atop the other girl's head twitched in irritation, accentuating the way that Claire paused and waited for a rebuttal that Weiss did not deliver. She leaned her head forward slightly, indicating for the girl to continue, wanting to hear what the other had to say. "Blake sees the Faunus that line the gutters in the slums.. The ones that fight over scraps of food and beg for what money strangers will spare them. She sees the members of our race that have been beaten, tortured, and left mutilated by the actions of Humans."

Weiss gulped as the fearsome wolf-girl with wild hair stepped toward her, a larger and rougher hand taking up one of her own in its grasp. Her limb was guided past Claire's side, and then softly pressed against the back of the Faunus' shirt. "This is what people like your father can do to people like me." Before she could withdraw and demand an explanation for what the other was doing, she felt it. A deep trench dug into the skin that was harder than the surrounding tissue.

It was a gorge that had been carved through the flesh, one of the many scars she had once spotted on the girl's back when she had walked into the dorm of team CAIN unannounced. Released from Claire's grasp, her fingers softly pressed against the fabric of the shirt to explore the skin that lay beneath the garment of their own volition. Trailing through the ravine that lie immortalized on the Faunus' body, her digits eventually rose to reveal the raised portion of another sign of disfigurement that crossed through the first she had touched.

This was a ridge, a puckered section of skin that sliced through the canyon and tore across the girl's back in a ragged formation, a startling indication of how barbaric the original wound must have been. Without truly realizing it, Weiss had taken the initiative, and the only thing that kept her from continuing to unveil the horror that lie beneath the light cloth was the way Claire had reacted. The wolfish ears were pulled flat against the Faunus' hair, and dark brown eyes had averted their gaze.

It was a shock to see this side of Claire, anger and confidence replaced so quickly by anxiety and shame. Weiss withdrew her hand quickly, her mouth opening and closing a few times as she struggled to find the words to express sympathy, or perhaps an apology for her own actions. She wasn't given much of a chance, as the Faunus stepped back and resumed talking. "But you have to see that world through her eyes to understand why she would join a group like the White Fang. To many.. It looks like the only way to fight back, to gain some measure of standing in a world dominated and ruled by Humans." Still holding the tattered jacket, the wolf-girl gave a dejected shrug. "It isn't right, but it's the way it is."

"Why didn't you join?" She could see the way her question surprised the Faunus, as Claire's ears turned more forward, as if they were intent on listening as closely as possible. "The thought has clearly crossed your mind.. You hate my family, why not join the White Fang?"

"I didn't want to be the sort of person to seek revenge. But I was lucky, I had someone to guide me down a different path." It was a simple answer, one that caused her to tilt her head due to its cryptic nature. "..Well, at least they tried to."

"You said.." Weiss did her best to approach the subject as carefully as possible, but after a few moments of silence and thought she could not identify a better way than barging through the topic like a simpleton. "You said someone like my father did that-" She gestured toward the girl, and more importantly, the scarring evident upon the Faunus' back. "-to you.. Can I ask-"

"Not tonight, Weiss." Claire's voice was quiet as she refused the request, finally finding the courage to meet the gaze of the smaller girl. The heiress' eyes were not as cold as they were before, filled now with the warmth of compassion as they regarded her. But even they could not still the fear that thrummed within each beat of her heart, the kind of terror that came with revealing one of the most vulnerable parts of ones self. "Just.. Focus on patching things up with Blake."

* * *

"Weiss is right." The words were spoken softly, as if the truth they bore was a horrific one as Ruby stared into the auric depths of her teammate's eyes. She had asked what it was that was bothering the other girl, and had gotten the answer she expected, and more. "I ran into that fight without a second glance back, never once thinking that I might not win, or wondering what would happen if I lost you." There came a moment of silence as both of them seemed to realize what Blake as said, but she chose not to pursue that topic as the Faunus looked away. "I really am the monster she sees."

"Hey." The simple interruption brought those gorgeous eyes back her way, and Ruby raised a hand to softly touch the older girl's cheek, smiling warmly as she saw the tears that were beginning to well. "Weiss doesn't think you're a monster. She was angry at both of us, because she cares for both of us. You know Weiss.. The moment she doesn't care to yell is the moment she's given up on someone." Blake made a noise caught between a chuckle and a suppressed sob, but she didn't let it stop her as she grinned like a fool at cat-girl. "And I followed you into that fight willingly. I'd do it again."

Her older teammate only glanced in another direction, her optimistic outlook failing to improve the other's attitude. That failure caused her grin to slip away, and she let her hand trail down the cheek until it rested on the nape of the Faunus' neck. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing, Ruby."

"Doesn't matter if it's a good thing." Blake refused to look over at the younger girl, focusing entirely on not acknowledging the hand that was pressed lightly against the scarf that covered her neck. The light tone that her teammate employed manipulated her emotions far too easily as the other brunette skittered into view again, Ruby apparently refusing to let her look away. "It's what I wanted."

"Ruby.." Unwittingly, she leaned into the hand, and let a plea seep into her voice as she failed to tear her gaze away from the wide silver eyes that peered down at her. Blake and known what Ruby coming after her after she had fled from the dorm had meant, and she was now sure of the younger girl's feelings. Shared affections between them had led to this point, where she sat helpless before the cheerful watch of the girl she had come to appreciate beyond a mere teammate or friend.

Her warning went unheeded as the brunette stepped closer, between the space where both of her legs hung off the edge of the bed. "Yes, Blake?" She wanted to growl at the way the younger student feigned innocence, at the way Ruby asked the question as if there could be any doubt to the girl's intentions as the distance separating them shortened further, but the sound came out closer to a whimper. No matter what her brain said would be a rational reaction, she was too exhausted to fight the part of her that now yearned for this.

Ruby stopped a few inches from the Faunus, the pads of the scythe-wielder's fingers softly caressing the skin that lay between a scarf and a shirt. She wanted to don a victorious grin at the circumstance, at all the confirmation she would ever need on the question of how her teammate felt, but she couldn't follow through. Not yet, at least. She needed to be sure that if she opened this door, it could remain open. There wasn't any room for more pain at this point.

As her thoughts raced to ponder such things, nervousness and anxiety only grew until she couldn't have closed the gap even if she wanted to. Staring at the beautiful girl she had very effectively lit a fire under wasn't helping, as she saw the way that Blake was looking at her. The golden orbs were filled with a predatory and possessive aspect, two shining beacons that the Faunus desired her in a way that she was still truly inexperienced in, and that only amplified the self-doubt gnawing at her confidence. "B-But first, you have to talk to Weiss."

It completely deflated the mood, and Ruby felt her lungs resume working as the pressure seemed to relax throughout the entire room. Black bangs tumbled across a forehead as her teammate's head tilted to the side, and those amber pools lost their attractive light and instead took on a look of confusion. "You need to apologize to her, and I need to know you're going to stick around. After you figure that out.." She backed away from the cat-girl, flashing a coy smile. "Well then come find me, Blake."

* * *

"So.. What's up?" Iris spoke softly as they stopped at the fountain in the courtyard of Beacon Academy, glancing over at the girl who had looped arms together with her and steered them both towards this spot. Yang had been quiet, far too quiet for the normally brash and flamboyant brawler, and it had started to worry her. It didn't help that the blonde had taken them to the spot where she had revealed the worst parts of her past to the other, and that realization filled her with a certain sense of dread. "What did you want to talk about?"

"You." The taller girl rounded on her, lilac eyes bright and intense as they bore down on her. "Me. Us."

Raising an eyebrow as she turned, Iris bit back a snarky comment, appreciating the gravity of the current situation. "How do you mean?"

"You said maybe two or three words on the way back here." A shrug came from the sturdy shoulders, jostling the brown jacket the blonde wore. "It isn't like you, is all."

"Oh.. Uh, I'm sorry." Iris felt her cheeks color with shame as she realized how silent she had been since seeing the cockpit of the fallen Bullhead, and her reaction brought a more curious expression from her companion. "It's just.. Amber killed one of the White Fang we were fighting. I didn't say anything at the time because it made me sick, but I saw the chakram buried into his chest."

"I.." Yang seemed to consider the words for a moment before looking back at her, head cocked to the side. "We were fighting them, Iris. They would have killed us if we hadn't fought back."

"I know! I really do." She turned away from the blonde, throwing her hands up into the air in a gesture of futility. "I know what we are here to become. Hunters kill Grimm, that's all people choose to look at when they talk about them. But we know the truth, we all know that someday it won't be a monster we aim our weapon at, and that it won't be until an aura fails that the fight goes on." Trailing off, Iris took a second to collect her emotions. "And then I saw the blood and the bones, and it all.. It all became real for me. Someday, I'm going to kill someone."

Clenching her hands, she released the tension on her muscles slowly, exposing the pale skin of her palms an inch at a time. Her mind attempted to summon up an image of them covered in the sanguine lifeblood of a Human or another Faunus, but all that came to her thoughts was a memory of deep black staining the skin after she killed the Death Stalker. Then a darker skinned hand closed about her wrist, pulling her about until she faced the other girl once again. "Will you be able to do it?"

The question was anything but simple, and yet the answer was so readily available that it frightened Iris, as she allowed herself to look into the pale purple coloring of Yang's eyes. "That's the problem.. I won't have a problem doing it." Gulping as she saw the concern cross the other girl's expression, she continued. "For so long I've thought about finding the man that took my parents from me.. I-I think I'm broken."

A sad smile pulled the corners of Yang's lips upwards, and the Faunus she held only stared as she softly cupped a cheek in the palm of her free hand. There wasn't much in the way of words that could fix what was occupying the thoughts of the fox-girl, but she resolved to try her best. "I think we're all a little broken, and that I'll be here for you. Flaws and all." The effect was immediate, in the way the beautiful features that had been on the verge of crying relaxed and allowed a tiny version of a smile to find their way to them. It was that moment of calm that allowed her to try and take the subject away from such heavy matters. "But you should know that I don't share. So if I'm yours, you had better be mine."

Letting out a shaky laugh, Iris took a moment to let her smile grow into one more genuine as she leaned her head back to stare up at the taller girl. There was only a few inches of difference between them, but it seemed so much larger when they stood toe to toe. Reaching up, she wrapped both arms around the stocky shoulders of her companion, certain that if she was going to place her trust in anyone, Yang was a wise choice. "I may have gotten around back at Impetus, Xiao Long, but don't you dare assume that I would ever share."

Baring her teeth in a playful growl, Iris felt her tail begin to sway as the lingering thoughts were banished away by the sheer force of happiness being with Yang brought her. Strong arms ducked under her own and wrapped about her rear, and she felt the tension in the corded muscles as she was lifted from the ground and brought to straddle the larger girl. Their lips met in the middle of the motion as the brawler's hands were transferred to her thighs, holding her lithe frame with little effort as they kissed beneath the glow of Remnant's shattered moon.

* * *

Amber's eyes slid open slowly, her battered consciousness aware that it had been a while since she was last awake, but a strange exhaustion clung to every fiber of her being. She felt as if she hadn't slept in days, and each of those days had been filled with the intense training regimen that Nyx had designed in order to better compliment each other's fighting styles. Then came the memory, the remembrance of the utter destruction she had wrought on the poor Faunus that had been trapped inside the Bullhead's cockpit.

She could feel the serrated edge of Fos cutting through her chest as it spun, sundering open her ribcage and tearing chunks of the organs contained within. She could feel the sense of fear that welled up and replaced every other emotion, and then a split second of regret before nothingness. The sheer absence of emotion that she was forced to feel for the first time in her life threw her awareness into the realm of reality, and it was then she heard the chilling scream emanating from her own lips, and she felt the hands that were latched onto her shoulders, shaking her.

Amber bolted upright, straight into the embrace of the waiting doctor, and she found herself pressed against a warm body as the last of her air was expended. The scream fizzled out into a whimper, and her fingers dug into the back of the Faunus she held on to. A soft, kind voice sounded out near her ear, speaking in a familiar accent that identified the owner. "Come on, love, tell me what's wrong."

"I killed him.." The words came unbidden, and gave her no relief as she felt the agony in her chest continue to claw at her insides. Those words were spoken with a tone of disbelief, and no small measure of horror, as her semblance forced her to replay the event as if it were still happening. "Tore him apart."

Dawn Sheppard held the tiny girl as delicately as possible, all too aware of the implications that came with the student's admission. It was a crisis that had befallen many young Hunters she had treated through the years, but with this particular girl's unique abilities. Abruptly, the small frame stopped fighting against her, and instead sunk into her arms with a lingering sob. "He was so angry.."

Pulling back, she caught the girl's crimson eyes in her own gaze, and spoke softly. "Hey, do ya know where you are, love?"

Amber answered in a slow, pondering tone as the pain began to fade away, and she was allowed to feel the emotions of the Faunus woman in front of her. "Y-yes. Infirmary. Dr. Sheppard." The simplistic, one word answers were remnants of how she used to speak to others. A habit she had dropped around the time she had gotten serious about attending an Academy, it came forward as her own feelings overpowered those she could sense through the connection of her aura to the doctor's.

It was freeing, to feel on her own accord for the first time, and a thought pinged that it was a shame that it had to be guilt. Under the careful ministrations of a gentle hand rubbing up and down her back, she managed to find some of the calm she was more used to, and became more aware of the compassion that thrummed within Dr. Sheppard instead. "Better?"

The question caused her to glance away from the woman with the lynx ears, unsure if she could answer it honestly. In the end, she chose the simplest route. Forcing herself to a sense of normalcy, Amber turned her gaze back to the doctor and gave a nod. "Better. Have to find Nyx."

Dr. Sheppard eyed her with a skeptical look, but in response she gave only a stoic nod. In the depths of her most unpleasant memory, Amber had recalled something more important than the consequences of her actions. "All truth? I have no idea how to treat ya for this..But I'm hoping your brother can help. I'd like ya to come back in an hour or so, yeah?"

"An hour, then." The woman pulled away from her, and she slid off the side of the bed, shoving all that had befallen her to the back of her mind. It helped to concentrate on the emotions of the Faunus, allowing her focus on something other than the sickening memory that lay in wait. "Thank you, doctor."

* * *

Weiss tried her best to remain calm as the dorm room door opened, but so many emotions surged to the surface as the portal revealed the forms of her two teammates. On the left was the shorter of the pair, a young brunette who styled her hair with red highlights, and seemed to delight in being a pain. On the right was the object of Weiss' ire for the last few days, a Faunus who had lied to the entire team, to their friends. An enemy that had been right under her nose.

Anger began to win the fight until a hand touched gently upon her shoulder, reminding her of the wolf-girl that stood at her side, and the objective of this meeting. She was here to mend fences, to admit faults, and to move past the horrible revelations that a girl she had considered a friend was once one of the terrorists that threatened her family. "Weiss-"

"You're a Faunus." She spoke the fact in a flat tone, staring across the distance into two golden eyes as Ruby closed the door behind them. Blake did not answer her outright, instead reaching up to untie the bow that sat amidst the strands of black hair. When the ribbon fell away, it was revealed that two cat ears covered in velvety fur stood atop the girl's head. After she had studied them for a sufficient amount of time, she snapped her gaze back down to glare at the other. "You lied to me. You lied to Ruby. You lied to Yang."

It tore at her emotions that those animal ears atop Blake's head could look so sad by laying flat against the girl's head. It made her teammate look so dejected, so unhappy with the situation. "I'm sorry, Weiss. But you have to understand.." The Faunus stepped forward, a good sign that the other was not about to run again. "What I am is not acceptable to people. I have-"

"Stop." She let out a quiet sigh, shaking her head as she held up a hand. "I get it. It took some time, and it took a lot of talking, and a lot of thinking. But I get it. I know why you hide what you are, especially from me. I accept that." Weiss glanced toward the girl that stood at her side, and saw the way that Claire actively avoided her gaze. After a pause, she turned back to face Blake, affixing the cat-girl with a scowl. "What I will not accept is what you've done. You endangered all of our friends by attacking those thieves at the docks, most of all my partner. You could have been killed because of your own stupidity!"

"..And I'm sorry."

Blake blinked a few times before her mind allowed her to take another action, tilting her head at the heiress that stood a few feet away. She wasn't quite sure she had heard that right. "..What?"

"I. Am. Sorry." This time she was sure. Weiss Schnee had just apologized to her, and that fact alone was enough to convince her that she must have been dreaming. "I can't fix what my family has done, but I can say that I will do my best going forward to change my ways. It's my fault that you were driven away from us, from your team, and fell into that situation to begin with."

"But." The heiress put an emphasis on the last letter of the word, arresting Blake's gaze. She felt the cat ears flinch at the silence that followed that single, damning word, and a new dose of fear flooded through her system. "There can't be any more lies. And we need to deal with our issues together, as a team, and as friends." Pale blue eyes flitted away from her and to the wolf-girl nearby their conversation, a development as surprising as the rest of this strange exchange. "We have to trust each other, especially if we go back into a battle like that."

"I.. Of course, Weiss." She took another step forward, eager to put this behind them, but still knowing there was one thing left unaddressed. "About the White Fang, and your family.." Blake could see clearly the way the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company became uncomfortable, as if the girl was awaiting the worst possible news. "You have to know this, that I took no part in the murders. And that I'm.. I'm just sorry. I know it's a poor start, but I hope you'll accept that I'm trying."

Weiss took a moment to look past the cat-girl towards Ruby, then turn and regard Claire with a raised eyebrow before returning her gaze to Blake. With a nod, she did her best not to let the relief she felt show in her voice or on her face. "Apology accepted."

* * *

Stepping off of the transport with a sigh, Roman Torchwick watched as the hanger doors to the base slid closed. Neo had taken the Bullhead back to the place they had departed, a military depot located deep within the forest of Forever Fall abandoned from a war fought centuries ago. Completely secure from Grimm, and a place where no one with access to the records would ever think to check for them. Nevertheless, the recent attention of Beacon Academy had been enough to spook the leader of their makeshift band of ne'er do wells, and the evacuation was well under way.

"You're late, Torchwick." The master thief growled as he passed by two Faunus women that shared a laugh at his expense, rounding on the two with a glare. It was the wolf with the Grimm mask eyepatch that spoke to him, her blood red eye narrowed for a moment as it searched. "And empty handed?"

"He's a human." The other Faunus spoke up, drawing his gaze to the dual-colored features of the shorter woman with cat ears. An orange eye closed in a wink in his direction, and he only snarled in response. "Did we really expect anything better?"

"Listen here you fucking mutt-"

"Now, now, Roman." The alluring tone caused him to freeze as he saw the burning eyes appear and the scantily clad woman walk through the door that had just slid open. Those pools of liquid fire scanned the area, finding only his two, empty Bullheads. Cinder Fall then regarded him with a mocking glare, and clicked her tongue in a chastising manner. "You're quickly becoming expendable, my friend."

A boot shuffle was all that warned him to stick out his arm, catching his much smaller associate as Neo took a step toward the fiery woman, a fierce expression of anger played out across his friend's face as two pink eyes glared in Cinder's direction. After he was certain that there wouldn't be a move from the woman that was half his size, he turned his gaze back to his employer with a charismatic grin. "If you must know, I was stopped from grabbing the cargo by a group of students from our favorite Academy. Among them was someone I think you'll appreciate seeing again."

"Neo, scroll please." Holding out his hand, Roman felt the device pressed into his palm in the space of a single breath, and pulled the ends further apart in order to construct a larger screen. Tapping his index finger against its display a couple of times, he brought up the video that had been taken by the aircraft piloted by his friend, and turned the scroll so that Cinder could get a good look. "I think you'll recognize the one standing in the center."

A girl in a red cape spun a gigantic scythe around in a full circle as if it were made of paper, slamming the tip of its blade into the ground. He saw the way the crimson eyes widened and a mischievous look crossed beautiful features, followed immediately by a sadistic grin. "Her name is Ruby, if such things interest you." Playing it off as if she had to beg for more information, he closed the scroll and tossed it back to Neo, pulling up a cigar in it's place. He didn't want to keep his unstable employer waiting long, and lit the roll of tobacco with his lighter quicker than he normally would. Taking a long draw from his vice, he blew out the smoke to the side before speaking up again. "Ruby Rose."

The sheer delight that crept into Cinder's expression was reason enough for him to be proud of the dramatic pause, but it was also frightening just how much the thought of violence animated this woman. He had worked with and for her for years, and still things came to surface that unsettled even his relaxed tastes. "Ruan, dear." The woman in the red dress beckoned for the wolf Faunus clad in the black cape that bore the markings of an alpha Beowulf, and the animal moved quickly, stepping up side to side.

Roman mused over how the White Fang assassin towered over his boss, but chose not to voice such thoughts when he saw the way both women looked at him. In an instant, he could be chopped liver, but he was sure the target of their anger was someone else entirely, for the moment. "Yes, Cinder?"

"Bring me the heart of Ruby Rose."

If the delight that his employer had taken in learning the name of the scythe-wielder was unsettling, the glee that spread over Ruan's face was downright scary, as the Faunus looked over at him with a broad grin. "..Gladly."

* * *

**Author's Note: Dunno if anyone noticed, but I changed the chapter titles for Chapter Five and Six.. Having Part 1s and such just looked bad. You know, I get a lot of reviews on my fics that say 'I didn't think I'd like this, but I do!'.. I'm not sure what that means about my stories but I'll certainly take it. Thank you for giving me a chance! I'd also like to thank everyone who has followed or favorited, and especially those who have reviewed. You are all awesome and it totally makes my day to see that someone is interested in my story. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! 'Til next time! -Fox**


	13. Unflinching Resolve

**Author's Note: I know I usually put a note at the bottom, but I feel like you all deserve to know this before you get to the juicy part: I am sorry. It's been a month since last update and I'm sure there have been questions of whether or not the story was abandoned. It's not! There is so much to come and I think most of it is pretty dang awesome, so please stay tuned. Stress from work has been killing my creative drive, and I'm either getting fired or quitting tomorrow. So.. Good news, more time to work on stories! I would have posted an update explaining all this, but I don't feel right posting a chapter that doesn't have.. something, you know? So here's what I have done for chapter 13, I hope you enjoy it before I get to the finale of the first volume. To those who are following me because of it: The Cyberpunk fic is still on, but it's barely past the planning stages. More updates on that to come! -Fox **

* * *

_**Roses &amp; Thorns **_**– Volume 1 – Chapter 13**

**-Unflinching Resolve-**

* * *

Amber Pinion tried her best to walk in a straight line as she made her way from the infirmary. It felt as though her skull was attempted to tear apart with each new pain that pounded through her head, prompting her to raise a hand to hold it all together. A particularly nasty flash of agony caused her feet to falter in mid-step, the stumble pitching her forward and smashing a shoulder into the nearby wall. She went down in a heap, letting out a soft whimper as she pulled herself into a sitting position with her back against the surface she had impacted.

Both of her palms were pressed against her eyes, pushing inward as fingers extended and dug into the skin beneath her hair. The ache was becoming too much to bear as she felt the whine of pain slowly morph into a scream. It felt as though her mind was lit aflame, trapped in a loop within the final moments of the Faunus she had murdered back at the docks.

For years she had thought of what life would be like if she was not forced to feel the emotions of every passerby, of every member of her family. For years she had wanted to experience, just once, what it would be like to feel nothing at all. But now she knew, as every limb burned in agony as it was filled with that lingering absence she had felt within the Bullhead's pilot.

Hands, larger and much stronger than her own, tore the palms that covered her eyes away. Her vision was fuzzy, still swimming from the splitting sensation in her head, but it was hard to mistake hair as yellow as the sun, and the wide lilac-colored irises. Yang was speaking to her, but Amber heard no words, she only held onto the brawler's wrists and reached out with her aura in desperation.

Then it came. First was the concern, obviously directed at the state the other student had found her in. Surprise, worry, and a hint of happiness lingering from something that had happened earlier. Her aura touched upon a different source of energy, and another flood of emotion ran through her, driving away the agony and allowing her to regain control of her senses.

Yang came into focus above her as the brawler was pulling her up to a standing position, the girl somehow seeming even more tall when she was actually on her feet. "Amber? Hey, talk to us." Another voice joined the fray, causing her to glance over and find one of her teammates next to the blonde. Dark hair and lovely indigo orbs were enough for her pain-addled mind to form a single word.

"Iris."

The name escaped from her lips in a twisted way, in a sound that was tinged with a sob. That was the first indication to Amber that she was crying, as one of her hands fumbled against a cheek and came away wet with tears. Confusion was all that she could feel for a brief moment before something tightened around her, and a warm sensation permeated through her chest. Blinking and trying her best to clear her mind, she realized that she was being hugged.

It only lasted a second, as Yang pulled away and allowed Iris to step in, the fox-girl running gentle hands down the length of Amber's arms as she trembled in the Faunus' grasp. "Let's get you back to the infirmary, okay?"

"No!" She didn't realize she had yelled the word until the fox ears atop the other girl's head pulled back as if the volume had caused momentary pain, but Amber did not back down as she moved to brush the pale hands of her teammate away. "H-have to talk to our teams." Shaking her head to chase away what was left of the lingering fog, she focused an intense gaze on the two girls in front of her. "I know where those transports went."

* * *

Ruby shifted her weight again as she watched her teammates, the two girls conversing in whispers across the small room and privately working out their problems. It had relieved her to hear that Weiss was willing to forgive Blake, but she still worried that the issues that plagued both of the other girls were ones that had no easy answers, and the road back to mutual friendship and trust would be a long one.

She was shook from her thoughts as an elbow bumped against her arm, causing her to start and glance over at the Faunus that had drawn her attention. "You look worried." Claire's brown eyes were narrowed, but carried an almost happy glint to them as they studied her. "I wouldn't be. This is a good first step for them."

Understanding that the words were more of a question than just a simple observation, Ruby gave a nod to the other team leader, unable to shake her concerns from the back of her mind. "I know, but it isn't this. Torchwick's robberies.. And now the White Fang? There's something big going on down in Vale. We need to figure out what it is."

"Agreed. Whatever it is, I think Ozpin wants us to pursue it." That made her glance back to the pondering wolf-girl, watching as the digits of a tanned hand tapped thoughtfully against Claire's bared knee. After a long moment, brown eyes flashed over to her, catching the light in the dorm in such a way that it lit the red amongst the girl's arises aflame. "He hasn't had us brought up to talk about what happened, and-"

Before the Faunus could finish, all the attention in the room was drawn to the door opening, revealing three more of their friends. Yang walked through the portal with all her usual swagger, a brazen grin leaping to her face upon seeing the two girls who had been conversing on the opposite side of the dorm. "Oh, you've made up already? Good, 'cause I got something a whole lot more interesting." Leaning back on a foot and swinging both arms up to clasp her hands behind her head, she tossed a nod in the direction of the door, to the two others she had come with.

Ruby glared at the casual way her older sister dismissed the progress Weiss and Blake had made, but slid her gaze past the loud blonde with no comment given to her thoughts, finding what Yang had wanted her to. A concerned Iris was hovering close by Amber, who looked thoroughly shaken by what had occurred at the docks. Opening her mouth to ask what it was that could possibly be better news that Team RWBY piecing itself back together, she was stopped by Claire rising up and striding in front of her view. "Amber, you're awake." There came a momentary pause in the Faunus' words, one that came with the simultaneous bristling of all four of the rooms occupants at the sudden rise in the tension of the area. "What is it?"

"I-There was.. It was the best plan I had at the time." Ruby rose from the bed and stepped around her sister and the tall wolf-girl, gaining a better view of the redhead that seemed so small compared to all the others in the room. Amber was shorter than even Ruby, barely managing to reach five feet, and the way the smaller girl was standing lent no advantage to her height. "I threw Skia into the back of the Bullhead that the man in the suit escaped on." Crimson eyes flitted from face to face as if they were supposed to be aware of the implications that statement implied, and finally a huff of frustration was given, and the tiny Pinion continued. "Nyx had trackers built into my weapons when I first began training with them. I-I-I kept losing them.. Always threw them too far or forgot to activate my aura before letting them go."

Ruby blinked slowly as the redhead gave a nervous laugh, then grew quiet and seemed to fold further underneath the arm that Iris had laid across the girl's shoulders. "Wait.." Her utterance brought all the gazes of the room to her, but she was not fast enough to finish her own thought, as Weiss spoke up behind her.

"We can track where that Bullhead went?"

* * *

"This is a really bad idea." Weiss' foot continued it's incessant tapping as the gathered members of Teams RWBY and CAIN tossed the idea of chasing after their assailants from the docks. Her refusal brought them around to look at her, by the window of the dorm room. "We are talking about going after professional criminals. _Killers_. Who we now know are backed by the White Fang." Using the name of the terrorist group in such a casual way forced her to look in the direction of the girl wearing a black bow. "Blake. You cannot honestly tell me that this is a good idea, to attack the base where these people are operating from?"

The cat-girl's ears twitched, the movement showing through the silk ribbon that was tied about the fur covered organs atop her head. "She's right." Weiss tried to contain her surprise. A moment ago Blake had been completely on board with the plan to rush off and save the day, whatever that had meant. "Those men we fought at the docks were recruits, the White Fang equivalent of us. If we go after bigger fish, we're going to run into the upper echelons of the organization. I knew some of those people.. We'll be going up against soldiers and assassins, Faunus who are as skilled as Hunters, some of them were probably even trained in Menagerie's Academy."

"Then we'll take them down, too!" Weiss glared as the blonde brawler directly across the circle from her smashed gauntleted fists together and gave a confident grin. "Even a Hunter can't take all eight of us, right? So I say let's be heroes!"

"You cannot be serious!" Stamping a foot against the ground and balling up her fists as she scowled at the larger girl, she tried to keep her cool as best she could. "Heroes? Please! This isn't some adventure, and we aren't invincible. We're just children! Blake was bludgeoned until her aura was broken, Amber killed someone to save us! Am I the only one who thinks we would be better off telling Professor Ozpin about it all and letting the Hunters take care of it?"

"I'm with Yang." Surprise filled her as a more husky voice joined the fray, drawing her gaze to the side, to where disheveled brown hair slowly rose and revealed the contemplative expression beneath messy bangs. Despite being prone to rages, she had thought Claire would be a more levelheaded person than her teammate. "Ozpin thinks we are up to this. Think about it, we've only had contact with one adult Hunter since coming back from a fight that was very public and very much against the Academy's rules, and that was Doctor Sheppard. He's waiting, watching for our next move. If he thinks we can do this, then I say we trust him."

"So let's make that move." Even her own partner was hell bent on this foolishness, it seemed, as Weiss rounded on Ruby. Silver eyes nervously met her own before glancing away, and the younger girl continued. "Torchwick was ready to kill Blake when I attacked him. I could see it in his eyes." It may have been her imagination, but she could have sworn there was a slight tremor in the brunette's voice as Ruby looked in their teammate's direction. "He has to be stopped. The White Fang has to be stopped. It's why we are all here in the first place, to help protect people. We could die, but so could the next person who stumbles across one of the robberies. And we accepted that risk when we chose this life, we all did.."

There was a silence that grasped the room in the aftermath of the youngest girl's speech, a sort of agreement on the course they would take. Weiss herself was inclined to agree, but tried her best to let reason prevail. "Even if we all wanted to do this, we don't have a way to get there. The shuttle down to Vale is shut down for the night, and the beacon is coming all the way from the other end of Forever Fall." Crossing her arms, she took a moment to revel in the self-satisfaction that came with the way the others looked down, their momentum deflated.

"Well.. There is the Bullheads that the Hunters use to get around Remnant.." Iris was the one who spoke up, a mischievous tone hidden behind her words as she felt her tail begin swaying in the wake of the excitement that had come with the thought. "And we have two pilots right here." She tossed her head in the direction of the Pinion twins, the taller of the two giving a confirming nod.

"I'm a fair pilot. I should be." Nyx gave a low chuckle, raising a hand to ruffle through his short hair as he glanced about the room. "Pinion Aero does make them, after all."

"We should vote.." The room again turned it's attention to the youngest present, watching quietly as Ruby chewed on her bottom lip as she thought through her words. Inevitably, she was staring directly into the cold blue depths of her partner's eyes. "This isn't an order, Weiss. This can't be an order, for anyone." She scanned over the gathered students, finally settling her view back on the heiress. "All in favor?"

The first two hands into the air were those belonging to Yang and Iris, both sharing a quick grin in the glance they shared. Next came the leader of Team CAIN, followed by the Pinion twins, then Ruby herself. Slowly, the last two members of the small committee rose their hands to the join the agreement and seal it as unanimous.

"Then it's settled." Blake was the one who spoke up, ignoring the audible groan from Weiss as she looked directly across the circle into the silver orbs that stared back at her. She felt responsible. Ruby had already been thrown into conflict once on her account, and here they were with another chance. She thought of saying that the younger girl should remain behind, or that it was too much of a risk, but doing so would reveal too much. It would shine a light on feelings that she had been pounding down into an abyss since the other brunette had sidled up to her in the infirmary.

In that moment of grim determination to stop the criminals, Blake had never felt more like a coward.

* * *

**Author's Note: Two in one chapter? Seems like a bit much, I know. This is where I thank you for following, and favoriting. For reviewing and being just genuinely good people. So thank you, you're frikkin' awesome. Please feel free to drop a review with your thoughts, or toss me a private message. I'm always willing to talk! Sorry again that it is such a short chapter after such a long wait, but I had to tell you guys the why behind the delay. I hope to have the next chapter within the week. -Fox **


	14. Darkened Reliquary

_**Roses &amp; Thorns **_**– Volume 1 – Chapter 14**

**-Darkened Reliquary-**

* * *

Nyx flipped one of the switches overhead inside the Bullhead's cockpit, watching closely as the indicator light nearby flickered out and then came on again, this time green instead of red. A chime sounded from the control board in front of him, informing him that the engines were primed. "You don't need to worry." The soft voice came from the other chair beside his, originating from the red-haired girl that sat there. It caused him to sigh in agitation, the kind of weariness that came with having a sister who always knew exactly how he felt. "I'll be okay."

He turned a slight inch to glance over at Amber, taking in the way she was pointedly avoiding his gaze, operating her own pre-flight check as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. "You're lying." Scoffing as he moved to adjust in his seat before tightening the belts that secured him in place, Nyx shook his head. "You always lie if you think it'll make someone feel better. You know, this is exactly the kind of thing that Father never wanted. It's why I told him not to let you go to an Academy."

"I can do the most good here." His sister's words parroted the same that had convinced their father to let both of them attend Beacon. Nyx had been adamant that Amber should end her combat education after general school, and instead attend a college to pursue a degree. Given her talents, she could have made one of the best doctors Remnant had ever seen. He had even threatened that he would follow her into the career of a Hunter if she was allowed to go. Their parents had called him on it, and now his worst fears for his twin had come to pass. "Pre-flight check is green across the board, I'm entering Skia's coordinate data."

With a discontented noise, Nyx jammed his finger against the button to ignite the engines, bringing them to life with a roar. Tossing a glance back towards the transport area, he received a thumbs up from Claire, the Faunus girl having already checked that everyone was aboard and secure. Turning back, he gripped the controls and shook his head once again. "This is a really bad idea."

* * *

"It's still on route, straight from Beacon." Cinder handed the datapad back to technician that had given it to her, a bone-white mask obscuring part of the young man's face as he spoke to her. On the device itself, a pulsating dot was making progress across the map towards a steady yellow dot that marked their location. However it had happened, they had been discovered.

"Why send one transport?" She mused over the idea of her enemy slipping up after all these years, waving away the Faunus as she turned to look out over the massive hanger of the underground installation. It had been their base of operations for almost a year now, an abandoned military facility that had lay dormant and forgotten from a war that raged nearly two centuries ago. "Why now?"

"Cinder." The sound of her name brought her around to face a man taller than her, one wearing a white suit with a bowler hat. Orange hair swept across one dark green eye, concealing it from view while the other was magnificently outlined in black makeup. "The last of the Dust is on board. Time to quit this place before the party shows up?"

"Not too eager to run, are we, Roman?" Injecting a teasing inflection into her sultry tone, she grinned as the man's uneasiness at approaching her only grew. "Not that many would blame you for playing the part of a coward when squads of Hunters show up, but there is only one transport headed our way. Hardly an army." Taking a step toward the man, she raised a single finger to trace down his jawline. "And still the question remains: How did they manage to find us? And why did it happen after yet another run-in you had with Beacon forces?"

"You.. You think this is my fault?" It amused her, the way that she could cause the normally confident criminal to back down in an instant, at the mere thought of her threatening him. Not that she would follow through, he had been a great asset to her, though she saw no reason to tell him that.

"The timing does seem suspect, doesn't it?" Mulling over her words as she let her hand fall away from his face, she walked a few steps before turning back to face him. She wasn't looking at him though, instead studying the wall behind him as she fitted the pieces of the puzzle together. After a long pause of silence, she spoke up again. "The Bullhead you arrived back here in. Leave it when we abandon this base. I do believe our young friends may have found a way to track you back here."

"That means you leave on the next transport out to Mountain Glenn." Grinning at the way the man's expression fell, Cinder tilted her head. "And find the White Fang assassins for me, I have a mission for them."

"Looking for us, are you?" The sound of a light voice caused her to turn around, finding two Faunus standing nearby, her mind enlightening her to the fact they must have arrived while she was deep in thought.

"Good, I had hoped you two would linger until the last stages of the evacuation." The Faunus with a eyepatch gave a shrug, while the one who had spoke to her flashed a broad grin in her direction. "Ruan, Calico. I'd like you to stay behind after we leave, and give our incoming guests a.. Warm welcome." She enjoyed the way there was no hesitation in the way the two assassins nodded, both of them eager to serve at the promise of an approaching fight to be had. "There may be Hunters aboard. We can't risk any information of where we are going from slipping into enemy hands. Arm the self-destruct when we are gone, I'll remain at a safe distance to pick you up when it's done."

"We'll get it done, Cinder." Ruan was the one who spoke to her, the taller of the two women. The wolf-Faunus' blood red eye fixing upon her. "Are these the children that chased off Torchwick?" That sanguine orb flashed past her to the man standing near the wall, and a grunt of annoyance was all that Roman challenged the assassin with.

"It certainly looks that way.." Striding forward, she softly touched each of the two Faunus' arms as she slipped between them, smiling wide. "I have the utmost faith you will not fail me."

* * *

Ruby held tight to the strap secured to the roof of the Bullhead as the aircraft tilted and began to turn. They had arrived at the coordinates, only to find the huge expanse of crimson leaved trees broken up by a cliff that dropped off into the sea. Leaning out of the transport bay as Nyx piloted them off the sheer drop, she studied the ground below, looking for any sign of the vehicle that Torchwick had used to escape from the docks.

To her surprise, and the audible gasps from several of the other students behind her, a large opening was carved into the side of the cliff. Rectangular in shape and constructed from concrete, the portal was illuminated by the searchlights of their Bullhead. It was a hanger, designed to hold at least a dozen other craft identical to their own, but inside sat only one. Narrowing her eyes, Ruby spied the circular saw of Skia buried to the hilt just before the tail boom.

Turning back, she nearly bumped into the form of Claire, who was standing close behind her and had spotted the same thing. The dark brown of the wolf-girl's eyes locked onto her own gaze for a moment as the older student gave a slow nod and moved to shout in the direction of the cockpit. "This is it! Set us down inside, Nyx!"

Letting the strap slip from her hand, Ruby reached back to find the comforting presence of Crescent Rose, held tight to its harness. She drew the weapon, unfolding it to it's sniper form as the Bullhead turned and held steady, advancing slowly toward the hanger bay that held the criminal's aircraft. Her ears caught the sound of Ember Celica locking into place behind her, and the signature clicks of both Blake and Claire's pistol slides being pulled back.

For a moment, a spark of fear laced through her chest, causing her heartbeat to accelerate until she shut the emotion down. It was replaced in an instant with a determined nod, and a thought that the course they now took was the right one, even if it was far from being the most intelligent. The underside of their transport scraped against the concrete of the hanger, and then sat down in a near perfect landing.

Ruby was the first out, dashing forward and dropping down to a knee, scanning the entirety of the hanger bay through the lens of her scope. The light from outside was barely sufficient enough to outline the edges of the doors on the far side of the huge room, but it left no shadows that could conceal a waiting adversary. Letting her weapon drop a bit, she felt her eyebrows raise on their own accord in surprise, and looked back to find the rest of the two Beacon Teams spreading out, their weapons raised and ready.

Her partner was the one who voiced what it was they were all thinking, the heiress turning away from the Torchwick's Bullhead with a confused expression. "Where is everyone?"

* * *

Dawn Sheppard rubbed her eyes as she placed a student's chart at the end of the bed, clicking the top of her pen and placing it back in the pocket of her lab coat. Glancing over at the clock revealed that it had been long past an hour since she had let the Pinion girl go, and though sleep nagged at her senses, she had half a mind to track the Huntress-in-training down and drag her back to the infirmary for whatever treatment she could hope to offer.

Mentally cursing herself for declining to fulfill the offered psych training earlier in the semester, she pulled her scroll from the same pocket she had deposited the pen. Tapping a finger against the interface in order to bring the device to life, she was stopped from pinging Amber Pinion to the Infirmary by the sound of a pair of boots stomping down the hallway outside the nearby door. Moving to investigate, she found a couple of familiar faces conversing quietly as they moved by.

The one lagging behind was a woman her own age, with coal black hair and stormy eyes that flashed to her the instant she appeared. "Qrow, Memphis?" Tilting her head to the side, she glanced between the two Hunters a few times before settling on the brunette. "What's going on?"

Memphis Slate paused as she regarded the Lynx Faunus standing in front of her, the tufted sandy blonde ears twitching ever so slightly as the sky blue eyes flitted between her and Qrow a few more times. The man made a noise that sounded like the start of an explanation, but faltered, leaving her to pick up the pace. "RWBY and CAIN are heading out after the same group that they fought down in the docks earlier tonight, we think. Ozpin is sending us to back them up." Stepping more towards the door, she lowered her voice so that any students in the Infirmary would be unable to catch her words. "Be ready when we return, might be wounded, maybe worse."

"Why just the two of ya?" It amused her that the doctor was trying not to let concern show for her, causing a grin to rise to her lips as she gave a shrug.

"Ozpin said when the kids move, we move. Gladly have you along, Sheppard, but we need combat ready Hunters." It wasn't meant to be a dig at the other woman, but the way the fair features dropped let her know that it could have certainly been taken that way, given their history. To make up for it, she reached out and clapped the side of Faunus' slender shoulder. "Cheer up, we'll be fine."

Even as she turned to continue on the path they had been taking before stopping her, Memphis found her hand trapped by another that coiled around it, and she was pulled back to look at the doctor. "Be careful out there, will ya?"

"When am I not?" Smirking as Dawn released her, the blonde gave a slow nod before smiling back, watching as she tossed a nod in Qrow's direction. "Besides, I've got one of the best Hunters in the world with me."

"Speaking of.." They both looked to the man as he spoke, staring down at his scroll, and the time that was displayed on the device. "Let's get a move on, Slate." With a single look back at the doctor, Memphis turned on her heel and followed the older Hunter down the hallway towards the helipads.

* * *

"Oh come on!" Yang's yell echoed throughout the spacious hanger bay, but what truly set a reverberation off the walls dozens of feet away was the punch she landed on the Bullhead they had tracked to this location. She bit back the wince that came with slamming a closed fist against the unyielding metal of the aircraft, and instead swung her arms out wide as she turned. "We came all this way for nothing?!"

"Keep your voice down, you dolt!" Swinging her gaze to where the heiress stood, she narrowed her eyes into a glare towards Weiss. She obeyed the harsh whisper nonetheless, falling quiet while the other girl continued. "If they didn't know we were here already, they certainly do now."

"Let them come." Yang swung her gaze around to peek through the open transport bay of the Bullhead she had punched, finding Claire staring back at her from the other side, the gray-tipped fur of the girl's wolf ears twitching in agitation. "I'd take a fight to just standing here."

"They're gone." Past the Faunus girl that had previously been speaking, Yang spotted her little sister crouched down and running a hand over the floor. Ruby's soft voice had carried through the room, but the scythe-wielder seemed to have said it without really paying attention, the younger girl's eyes still studying the gouges that had been dug into the floor.

Noticing the silence that had followed her words, Ruby glanced up and pointed to the duo of lines that were present on the floor, long canyons cut into the concrete a few feet from each other. "These are the right size for the cargo containers that we saw at the docks, right?"

"There's more over here!" Iris' voice came from behind Yang, causing her to turn and find her girlfriend bent down and tracing a finger through a line that belonged to another set. Bright purple eyes snapped up and scanned the rest of the nearby floor. "They're everywhere.. How many of these did they steal?"

"If these were all Schnee Dust containers like the ones we saw.." Claire scuffed a boot along the inside of one of the lines, trailing off as she slid her eyes up from the ground and settled her gaze on the heiress to the company their conversation now spoke of. "You didn't know?"

Pale blue eyes snapped from gouge to gouge, the signs of the thieves' movements evident throughout the entire room. The increasing amount of concern was clearly written on Weiss' face with each new count of a container that had been stored here, enough so that a shaky hand rose and nervously grabbed at the girl's ponytail. "How could Father not notice? No, he would have. Why wasn't I..?" Leaving the rest of the thought unsaid, Yang watched as her teammate finally met their gazes.

For the first time since she had known the heiress, Weiss looked downright meek.

* * *

Claire stepped through the door and glanced to the side, taking in the long, dark hallway that awaited her. Returning her gaze to the front, she lightly stepped from boot to boot in an attempt to examine the way forward better than she could. Stepping back into the hanger bay, a nod came from Yang, who had been investigating the other door. "Alright then. Four hallways, that means teams of two. Keep in touch using our Scrolls, and if you see the enemy, fall back and wait for back up before you engage." She let her gaze fall over Blake, feeling her eyes narrow into a light scowl as the other Faunus looked away.

Her attention was taken by her partner and the brawler from Team RWBY moving through the door together, a lingering smile and a wave made in her direction as they disappeared from view. Though she would have suggested that partners be the teams, Claire couldn't help but realize there was no stopping those two from going off together.

Others made up pairs and went off, leaving her alone with the young leader of the other Team, who was watching as Weiss and Nyx disappeared around a turn down the hallway in front of them. "Looks like it's you and me, Rose." Pulling Packmaster from her belt, she gave the brunette a wink and moved through the door.

Ruby was by her side in an instant, the hefty sniper rifle held loosely in the girl's arms as red highlights bobbed with each step. They had taken the last path available, the side hallway on the left. Cases that should have held the lights to illuminate this place were dark, hanging from the ceiling as if they needed to announce their uselessness. Emergency lights were all that was still running, lining the top corners of the narrow concrete corridor and casting an eery glow over the dull gray of the walls. Claire kept her weapon raised, one hand wrapped around the grip while the other supported it, allowing her to adjust aim quickly despite the tight spaces.

A quiet scuffle sounded out behind her, causing her to glance back and find Ruby recovering from almost tripping. Silver eyes glanced up and found her own, a smile flashed in her direction before the mumbled apology. "Sorry."

Claire let a small grin take to her lips to let the younger girl there was no harm done, before returning her gaze to the front. All that waited was the same empty hallway, but the strange feeling persisted. To find this base abandoned was unsurprising, but it felt as though they had missed their enemy by a few minutes. She had to question why there wasn't something left behind for them, either as a trap or to delay them while the others got away.

* * *

Blake held Gambol Shroud in a grip so tight that it was beginning to turn her knuckles white, her uneasiness growing steadily as she marched down the corridor. It was several minutes of silence and nothing but the dull glow of emergency lights to be found before a hand wrapped around her elbow, pulling her back and around to face the other student she had teamed up with. Amber Pinion's eyes looked incredibly calm in the low light, no longer a dancing pool of crimson and orange, simply a stunning landscape of bright color. "Slow down."

It was spoke in a quiet whisper, but even that seemed to disturb this place. The caution of the redhead caused her anger at being stopped to dissipate instantly, and she leaned in closer to speak, realizing that the perceptive girl was not attempting to allay the worry that had set into Blake's heart. "What's wrong?"

"There's.. I feel.." Amber's eyes closed in a slow blink, and the shorter girl shook her head in frustration. "It's gone now. But I could feel something nearby.. It was faint though."

Blake cocked her head to the side, eying the girl for a long moment before replying. "One of the others, maybe? We don't know how close these hallways run to each other, maybe they came close to intersecting with ours?"

"It could have been." A small hand rose and kneaded against the girl's forehead, before those red eyes opened once again and a nod was tossed in the direction they had been going. "Keep moving, I'll alert you if it happens again."

* * *

The thrum of a plasma bow continually broke what would have otherwise been silence, echoing down the long, empty corridors that Weiss now stalked. Myrtenaster was in hand, kept at her side with it's point slightly raised, ready to be used on a moments notice. Beside her walked Nyx Pinion, the taller boy's attire reflecting the golden light from his weapon and acting as a sort of lantern. Doors to offices were wide open as they passed, each of them taking a second to peek in and ensure there was nothing of value to be found before moving on.

"Back there, you seemed surprised at the amount of thefts this group has carried out. Your Father keeps you up to date on company business?"

The question came out of left field for her, throwing off her ability to deliver a snappy retort as she stared at the back of the other student's head. After no reply was forthcoming, Nyx turned back to look at her, his yellow eyes wide and one eyebrow raised in surprise. Shaking herself from her stupor, Weiss gave a slow nod. "Yes, usually. My instruction on how to run the company didn't end when I left to attend Beacon. I get a packet every week through our secure line from the CCT."

It was hard not to sound proud whenever she discussed Schnee Dust. It was a tone that had been hammered into her subconsciousness from a very young age, one that she found came unnaturally after months of disuse. "My parents do that, too." A sympathetic smile was cast her way by the other boy, with him having seen fit to ignore her tone and merely continue on with the conversation. Weiss bit back her surprise, berating herself for not remembering that Nyx was a kindred spirit, an heir raised from birth to take control of his parent's fortune when they stepped down. "They were so mad when I left to Beacon with Amber."

"Do you regret it?" Realizing that her question could be construed as rude without proper context, Weiss stumbled over a few words before truly explaining herself. "I-I mean, leaving to attend the Academy is a huge choice, given the time necessary and the career it leads to. Do you ever regret making that choice?"

"I used to, sometimes." Nyx spoke softly, leaning against a doorway to an open room and looking back at her, Winged Triumph held in his hands. "These days, I'd say I do. Amber should have never been here, despite her gift. She isn't made for this job, and once I convince our parents, I think she'll be taken out of the school. But me.." The boy chuckled, raising a hand to graze through his short black hair before shrugging. "I think I found my calling.. What about you, do you regret this?"

"I.." Looking past him into the room, she saw a panel laden with switches against the wall. Stepping past him, she made her way around the desk and scoffed at the sight of the old technology. After a moment, she looked back toward the other student, grinning wide. "..I found the lights."

* * *

Iris felt a hand brush across the fur of her tail as she ducked her head into a side room, causing her to glance back and find a playful gaze emanating from lilac eyes. Shaking her head while swatting away the offending digits, she took a step forward and spun on a heel. "This one's clear, too." Placing both hands on her hips and quirking a single eyebrow, she grinned at the way the taller girl slowly meandered toward her. "What's on your mind, Xiao Long? Not afraid of the dark, are ya?"

Her lips spread into a more mocking expression, one that was scoffed away with the flick of a gauntleted hand through long blonde locks. "I can literally set myself on fire, so no, I'm not afraid of the dark." Uncertainty crossed over the beautiful features before her, the shadows cast by the pulsating emergency lights only amplifying the strong angles of Yang's face as the brawler took the final step to be next to her. "It's just a feeling. Like we're in a place that hasn't been abandoned recently, but.."

"I know." Raising a hand to gently touch a palm to the warm cheek of the brawler, Iris let her grin slide away into a more fitting smile, leaning into the hands that settled on her hips and working to calm her girlfriend. Either due to personality or ability, Yang was a volatile individual. She loved that about the blonde, but it did take some effort to keep the girl's rampant excitement in check when there was nothing around to hit. "Feels like we shouldn't be here, right?"

A nod confirmed her guess, and even as she moved to kiss the taller girl, the overhead lights flickered to life and flooded the hallway. It banished the shadows that had clung to every wall and corner, and the mood between the two of them was swept away as they both moved to a defensive position. Iris slipped past the brawler, hearing the distinctive click as the girl's gauntlets slid into place, her own hand wrapped about Siren Melody's hilt and ready to pull the weapon free before a voice sounded out over the scroll in Yang's back pocket.

"That was us, in case you were wondering." It wasn't hard to match that the high-pitched voice belonged to Weiss, it's tone dripping in pride as only a Schnee's could. But it did the trick, as Iris heard her girlfriend utter a relieved chuckled and their positions relaxed.

Moving to face the brawler with a lopsided grin, she tilted a nod in the direction they had been heading before. "We should get moving."

* * *

Ruby held the shaft of Crescent Rose to her chest as she stepped around the corner, letting the barrel fall into a waiting hand as she aimed down yet another expanse of empty hallway. Behind her, the larger wolf-girl stepped out with a pistol raised and at the ready. A low growl sounded from the other as they moved into the new corridor, causing her to glance back to make sure that Claire was okay. One of the ears above the Faunus' hairline was facing forward, while the other was pointed sideways, both of them giving an agitated twitch every couple of seconds. "Hey, what's wrong?"

After a long moment, brown eyes settled on her, and the older girl's expression relaxed. "Thought I caught a scent, again." It was the second time the other had reacted in such a way, but this was the first that Ruby had heard of a reason. "It's nothing to worry about, Rose. Likely something left over by those we're hunting, but I can't quite place my finger on.."

She watched as the side of Claire's bottom lip was bitten in a gesture of thought, but the wolfish features betrayed nothing else of what the girl was about to say before trailing off. Shrugging as the conversation was seemingly dropped, Ruby tilted her head as a question came to mind. "Why do you do that, call me by my last name? Everyone else just calls me 'Ruby'."

"Hm." The soft hum came the moment that the wolf-girl's gaze met her own, and the untamed bangs covering Claire's forehead tumbled to the side as the Faunus cocked her head in the opposite direction of Ruby's own. "I suppose it's just something I do. I call Weiss by her last name, too." Fixing a gloved hand on a hip, the taller of the two gave a shrug with a single shoulder. "Would you like me to stop?"

"Well, you don't have to. It's just.." Sighing softly as she turned away, Ruby took a few steps down the corridor before continuing. "People used to call my mom that. It's strange to hear it again, even stranger that it's towards me." She let out a quiet laugh, forcing a smile to her lips as she looked back at the Faunus, at the wary expression that now dominated the wolf-girl's features. "Like I should be looking around for her, then I realize that it's someone talking to me."

Before her boot could fall again in a step, Ruby was pulled around to face the other girl, a stammered question as to what was going on faltering when a strong hand touched against her shoulder. It slowly made it's way down to release her own hand from Crescent Rose's stock, gripping it in a soft embrace. "I'm sorry, Ruby." Even with the Faunus' husky voice, there was a clear conveyance of gentleness through the tone, and the way the wolfish ears laid flat against the brown-and-red streaked hair was something that she had never truly thought would describe the fierce leader of Team CAIN. It looked cute.

"It-It's okay, Claire. I don't really mind it." Squeezing softly against the hand she now held in her own, Ruby summoned up a broad grin as she looked up into the older girl's face. The Faunus failed to meet her gaze, and after a moment, she continued in a lower voice than before. "Besides, it's not like I'm the only one who ever lost someone. I still had my dad, and Yang, you know?"

Her attempt at sympathy saw an instant tension finding it's way into the others body, in the way the muscles along the taller girl's arms seized up, but no further pressure found its way to the hand that held her's. "And I know I'm lucky to have them." Sliding her fingers away from the grasp that held them, Ruby took only a few more steps down the hallway before turning and staring at the wall. Breaking up the monotony of dull gray concrete was a large map, depicting the many corridors and rooms of the abandoned base in a color coordinated order. "Hey, check this out."

The call to the other girl seemed to shake Claire from the thoughts that had frozen the Faunus, and Ruby found herself dwarfed as the taller student leaned over her to get a better look at the map. "Look out." A hand guided her to the side, and the location she had stood was replaced with a scroll, one that clicked once to signal a picture had been taken. She watched quietly as the wolf-girl tapped the device a few times before raising it to her mouth. "Guys, we found a map in our section. Sending it to you now."

"Here's where we are." Ruby reached forward, tapped a finger against the left most corridor that ran the length of the base back into the mountain. "Which means we are heading toward that hall, and the tunnels that lead to the surface. Blake and Amber will be taking the opposite way, so we should meet up in the middle." Examining the maze of pathways closer, she tapped two fingers on the remaining hallways. "The rest of our teams are in this middle section. We can cut through these doors here if we need to."

"For now, we should keep moving towards that hall." Claire spoke softly now, the wolf-girl's voice having lost it's usual edge as Ruby stepped back to examine the other student. Brown eyes avoided her gaze, instead focusing on the path forward. "It might have some clue as to where the White Fang has gone."

* * *

Yang kept a reckless pace as she dashed from room to room, checking them as quickly as she could before moving on, eager to be done with this place. Behind her, Iris kept up with her, having no trouble and voicing no concerns as they moved toward the central chamber that the map had showed along their path, eager to get there before the other pair did. "Clear!"

"Clear!" Iris' reply caused her to grin as she pulled the door closed and ran down the hallway, using a hand on the wall to catapult herself around the turn with a wild laugh, sprinting the last stretch and slamming through a door at the end of the corridor. Ember Celica at the ready she danced on the balls of each foot as her eyes scanned the control center, finally settling to a more relaxed position once she saw that they were alone.

The room was smaller than the hanger bay, but housed over two dozen computers equipped with small built-in screens. Each of the four walls seemed to be dedicated to a different area of base defense. Directly in front of them was a large screen that housed an archaic radar system, a series of circles denoting distance while a bar swept the area in a never ending loop. The one behind them was lit with schematics for turrets and looked far more complicated than all the others, while the one on the left side looked to be a log of some sort, dated for a year nearly two centuries ago.

"And, clear." Turning back, she shrugged as her girlfriend entered the room, the indigo orbs of the fox-girl flitting through the room before finding her again. Iris offered a solitary wink before walking over to one of the workstations in front of the radar screen and sliding into a chair. Yang plodded over with a bored sigh and leaned down on the back of the chair the Faunus occupied, propping up her chin in one hand. "What'cha looking for?"

"Any sign of where they went after leaving here. There should be something, right?" Iris shrugged beneath her, the fox-girl's agile fingers flying over the keys of the touch interface, attempting to bring up the most recent data. After a few seconds, she succeeded, bringing up the display of a singular dot slowly approaching from the West. "Well, they were monitoring our arrival from the moment we hit Forever Fall, so that explains why they left. Ugh, hold on. I.. Think it's asking for a passcode."

"This tech is ancient. Wonder why they chose to set up here?" Yang looked away as the box appeared over the other girl's screen, moving over to the base defense screen, watching as it cycled through the sections of the base. The outlines of various rooms would turn from red to green and back to red again, as if the systems were continually trying to bring themselves online. Tilting her head as she stared at the display, she rose a finger to tap against the solid screen. As soon as the pad of the digit struck glass a second time, the entire screen went black, causing her to start and back up a step. "Whoa."

Turning around, she found that all the workstations and the displays on the walls had followed suit. The entire room had gone dark, leading to Iris swinging around in the chair to look at her. "I.. I didn't do it."

The Faunus stood up, looking past her shoulder with a confused expression. "Yang, I think that was me." Wheeling about, she saw what it was that Iris was looking at. The base defense display had come back online, only this time showed only a single box. Inside this window were six digits in groupings of two, each group separated by a colon. The numbers displayed within were beginning to wind down.

"Is that..?" The display of ten minutes was rapidly depleting, and that alone was enough for Yang to rip the scroll from her back pocket and open up the channel to her teammates. "Guys I think the self-destruct just activated!" It was hard to contain the fear from leaking into her voice as she watched the first fifteen seconds disappear as if time was actually speeding up to spite her. "We have nine and a half minutes."

"What?!" Weiss' voice came through the device in her hand, and Yang thought for a moment she could actually taste the disbelief that was conveyed through such a simple word. "Can you override it from where you are?!"

"I don't think so.." Iris was the one that nearly shouted into the scroll, the fox-girl's voice high-pitched and clearly shaking. "It requires a passcode!"

"Don't even try it, Vex." The noise of Claire's voice joined their conversation, holding a commanding tone. "There's nothing to be done, get to the Bullhead and get the hell out of here! Ruby and I are near one of the surface exits, we'll try to make it out through there."

Yang breathed in sharply at the mention of her sister, feeling the blood drain from her face as the edges of the scroll cut into the glove that covered her palm. "Blake here, me and Amber are going to try for the surface as well. You guys will need to pick us up!" Her partner's voice was clearly more calm than anyone else had been, and it had the effect of stilling her mind so that she could focus.

"Can we make it?"

Iris' question was one she hesitated to answer herself, intentionally not looking at the clock as she tore open the door that led down the tunnels Weiss and Nyx would have been coming down. Pausing only for a brief second to extend her hand and offer to pull the Faunus out of the room, Yang gulped down her fear and replaced it with a steady resolve. "Run. We'll make it."

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry to cut this off on a cliffhanger, but.. Well, I'm mean like that. Honestly this chapter is just turning out more huge than I had planned and I'm cutting it in half, which I may have to do again. But! We are nearing the end of Volume One, so there is that. Thank you to the lovely reviewers, your kind words meant the world to me this last week and a half(I did end up quitting my job, which was actually a good thing)! Thank you to all who followed or favorited, you guys are pretty dang awesome, too! Please feel free to drop a review with your thoughts, predictions, or concerns. I am happy to hear from you! 'Til next time! -Fox**


	15. Wolves Howl

_**Roses &amp; Thorns **_**– Volume 1 – Chapter 15**

**-Wolves Howl-**

* * *

"We aren't going to make it!"

The last thing Weiss heard before the deafening explosion was the fading echoes of her own voice. The ground beneath her feet suddenly shifted and heaved, and then fell away. Part of her mind, solitary from the majority that had been overwhelm with fear, make conscious thought of the way she should have been following the rubble downward. Held to the new edge of the cliff by the hand wrapped about her wrist, she felt her panicked heartbeat continue to speed up as adrenaline surged through her, and her eyes settled on Nyx.

The Pinion boy was holding her, his other hand clenched around the doorway to a room that was now largely destroyed. Each new explosion that occurred beneath the ground caused their already perilous position to shake, and before her thoughts could even comprehend a plan, she was pulled free of the chasm and slammed into the solid chest of the archer that now held her. Another detonation ripped through the structure, and the shrapnel of the walls around them flew outward.

Even as she watched, the pieces of the debris were smashed and deflected off of a golden barrier that was projected outward from their position. Shards of concrete shattered into tiny splinters which further broke upon the shield as Weiss looked up, finding that Nyx had both arms extended to each side, his aura flaring about his form in the same color as the protection that now saved them.

In her fearful state, the self-destruct of the old military base seemed to last forever, as she felt each individual rumble that signaled another explosive detonating beneath the underground building. But in truth, it only lasted seconds. The ground calmed, the cliff stopped falling away, and the barrier eventually flickered and fell. Weiss caught Nyx as the weakened boy fell over, purely on reflex as she cried out in surprise and attempted to take his weight away from the gaping chasm that was once the hallway they were running down.

Setting the tall boy down next to what had been the wall of an adjacent room, Weiss placed a shaking hand on his shoulder and turned to survey the damage. The hanger, and a large portion of the eastern side of the base, were completely destroyed. The explosions had been triggered at points that would sink those parts of the structure into the canyon and river down below, and sheer luck had determined that the section they now occupied would be spared.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Weiss turned back to face the boy who had saved them with the beginnings of a smile on her lips. It never truly made it, turning first to a frown and then evolving into a look of terror. "The others!" Reaching into the side pocket of her jacket, she pulled her scroll free and tapped it's interface until it opened the channel they had all synced to before the mission had started. "Ruby, can you hear me? Did anyone make it out?"

Nyx stared at her as the only sound that could be heard was the shifting rubble of the base they had entered, the scroll damningly silent as she spoke again. "Yang..? Blake? Claire, anybody?!" Gripping it as the time between her breaths decreased and her chest began to rise and fall at a rapid pace, Weiss tried to find the air to fight against tears that now welled up in her eyes. "They-They can't be.."

"Hey!" Hyperventilating as she was, the yell was enough to bring her attention back to the other student present. Nyx was beginning to stand, his knees shaking after the exertion putting up the barrier had caused him. "We don't know anything, so let's not jump to conclusions, alright? The rubble could be interfering with the signal, so we need to get closer to them, let them know that we made it."

Trying to calm herself, Weiss took in a long draw of breath and gave a nod. "Good." Nyx's voice was calm, but the shakiness behind it revealed to her that he was not handling this that much better than her, merely putting on a front that he wasn't effected. As scared as she now felt that her friends were trapped or worse, she couldn't imagine if her sister had been the one inside there. "We should.. We should move back the way we came, see if any of the tunnels are still open."

She followed his pointed finger into the darkness of the tunnel, where the only light was the sparks that flew from a few overhead lights that now hung in tatters, the current of electricity still running through their ruined remains.

* * *

Blake slid to a stop, the heels of her shoes tearing apart red leaves as she barely managed to maintain her footing, the ground still shaking with the reverberations of the explosions. A few feet in front of her, Amber tumbled forward and fell to a kneeling position, both of them panting after their mad dash for the exit. Behind them, the tunnel they had used exploded into a cloud of dust as the passage collapsed under it's own weight, the support beams no longer able to bear the load.

Long tresses of hair obscured her vision as she held both hands to her knees, panting in an effort to regain her breath. The initial relief at having outrun the destruction faded quickly as Blake stared at the dust that was just beginning to settle around the former entrance, a feeling of dread seeping into her thoughts as she tore at the pocket containing her scroll. "Ruby? Yang?!" There came no response from the device as her heartbeat took the leap from it's accelerated pace into a thundering panicked rhythm. "Weiss, can you hear me?!"

"Blake."

"Why isn't this thing working?!" Slapping the scroll against her thigh, Blake growled out in frustration, her breath coming in small gasps as her mind did it's best to invent images to match worst case scenarios. Her team couldn't be gone, she outright refused to believe as such, and so that disbelief was fueled with anger and let loose upon the electronic device that was supposed to be her lifeline to her friends.

"Blake."

"What?!" Rounding on the Pinion girl, she started at the way the redhead's face was pale, and how Amber shuddered as if it wasn't a particularly warm night. Small arms were wrapped about the chestplate the other girl wore, as if the clothing itself was doing nothing to heat her body.

"I feel it again, that presence." Crimson eyes flew wide, and the girl spun around to face the treeline, taking uncoordinated steps backward towards Blake. "It's just hate. Pure hate."

Before she could even begin to question what it was that Amber was talking about, she looked to where the twin was staring, and her heartbeat skipped in a pulse of fear. Moonlight glinted off the edges of a bone white mask, but it was far too small to be a Grimm. Blake knew what it was the moment she saw it, but a faint hope would be that a monster would walk out of those trees. She silently prayed that it would be a creature, but that prayer was in vain.

Sharply angled and obscuring the left eye of the woman that walked from the shadows, the Grimm mask functioned as an eyepatch, hiding all but the bottom of a scar that cut down a tanned cheek. It was a hideous mar on the stranger's features, puckered at the edges but sunken in the middle, as if the remaining skin had been pulled towards itself and then stitched together. It was an unnerving sight, but what truly chilled the blood in Blake's veins was the stylized splash of blood that was dashed across the cover. She had heard of it before, of it's owner.

The heavy hood of a cloak was thrown back, revealing the features of the woman that continued to stalked forward as the rest of the garment was tossed from the strong shoulders. The macabre sight of the eyepatch clashed magnificently with the assassin's garb. A collared shirt covered a modest chest, and on top of that sat a black vest marked in shiny red in the same style as an Alpha Beowulf's skull.

At the woman's waist was a leather belt housing a multitude of knives, each of them with their own distinct and equally wicked edge. Other weapons could be seen on her form; A pistol strapped to her left thigh, it's metal catching the light of the moon and reflecting onto nearby trees. The handle of a blade, sheathed across her back, could be seen over her right shoulder.

Above the long waves of black hair were two wolf ears, their dark fur visible even in the night by the gray color that topped each of them. The right ear was missing a chunk, the scarring showing clearly that the flesh was torn from the organ long ago. It was then that Blake's gaze was drawn to the single eye that settled upon her, an orb the same color as blood. The woman's countenance was a vicious one as she continued to stalk towards the students.

Amber was not as caught in the moment as she was, having recovered from the appearance of the White Fang assassin. The Pinion girl stepped past her, already leading into a spin and letting one of the chakrams go. Shining silver lit up the night with it's outline of fiery aura, an impressively quick attack that would have surprised a normal foe. But what they fought was far outside the realm of normalcy, and as the bladed ring neared their opponent, a hand dashed up and caught the weapon by its handle in mid-spin.

Blake watched as the other Beacon student ripped a hand back, attempting to recall the ring, but the aura that engulfed the chakram sizzled away. The stranger threw it into the ground, embedding it into the dirt and ripping apart the red leaves that lay beneath their feet. That single blood red eye stared at the silver of Fos for a long moment before snapping back to them, narrowing as a dark chuckle escaped from between the woman's lips.

Two knives flashed into the assassin's hands, just as Blake tore Gambol Shroud from her back and charged. Summoning up a clone to propel her forward, she watched as the edge of a blade stabbed through the image's chest and dissipated it, just as she brought her own sword up to bear. It collided painfully with the second weapon her opponent held, causing a screech as metal scraped against metal.

Keeping a hand on the cleaver portion of her weapon, she tore the katana from it's sheath and stabbed forward, striking at nothing but air as the older and more experienced fighter withdrew. Blake knew there would be no surprising this woman. This was a member of the White Fang that was leagues ahead of where she had belonged in the organization, even as Adam's pupil. This was an opponent that probably knew everything about her.

Gritting her teeth, she resolved to at least try. Letting the blade flip down on her katana, Blake raised her pistol and pulled the trigger. The bullets rang out in the night as they were deflected off the surface of the woman's weapons, but they allowed her a glimpse of one of her opponent's arms pulling back. Able to dodge the thrown knife at the last second, she let out a gasp of surprise as Amber slid past her, the Pinion girl ripping the discarded chakram from the dirt and engaging the member of the White Fang.

Spinning slashes were enough to put the masked stranger on guard long enough for Blake to recover and dash forward, cutting diagonally with both of her blades to drive the older woman back. Instead of retreating, their opponent spun into the space between them, evading each of their retaliating strikes and lashing out during the maneuver. A fist smashed into the side of her face, causing her footing to falter as she stumbled to the side.

It wasn't just the force of the hit that kept Blake on her knees for a few seconds after the attack. She felt weakened by the punch, as if it had stolen some of her strength from her. Gambol Shroud became heavier in her arms, and the exhaustion of the long day seemed twice as strong in the passing of an instant. This new revelation set another dose of fear through her veins as she struggled to a standing position, turning and raising both blades just in time to see the assassin's leg lift up between the overextended chakrams and kick Amber in the chest, sending the smaller girl tumbling away into the shadows without the rings.

And then that blood red eye settled upon Blake once again.

* * *

A fist grabbed a bunch of Ruby's cloak and threw her forward, just in time to escape the explosion of debris that followed them out of the tunnel. Bits of rubble and pieces of rebar were thrown a dozen feet away from the entrance to the military base, but she and Claire were safe from where they stood, tucked against the wall to the side of the source. Heavy breathing gave way to giggles that came from her on a high of relief, one that faded instantly as she turned and saw the way the wolf-girl was staring at her. "S-sorry, I'm just.."

"Happy." Claire spoke to her between ragged breaths, and the other girl gave a nod to signal that she was understood. A hand clapped down onto her shoulder, upsetting her balance for a moment before she recovered, and a wisp of a smile appeared on the tanned features of the older student. "Now, let's see who else made it."

That dampened Ruby's mood, remembering that her friends could still be in trouble. She reached a hand into the pouch at her belt, pulling forth the scroll and tapping its interface. "Can anyone hear me? Me and Claire made it out and are ready for the pickup." Silence followed her announcement, a damning lack of communication from their teammates that lasted far too long. "..Yang, are you there?"

For the first time, the notion that her own sister might not have made it out entered her mind, and that burned away all that remained of her relief of having survived the explosion. Before she could speak again, the scroll was torn away from her grasp. "Anyone hearing us out there?" She was about to remark that she had already asked that, when she noticed that Claire was holding another of the devices in her other hand. Brown eyes flitted up to meet her gaze, a new type of concern taking hold within them. "Bad news is, I don't think our scrolls are transmitting. We can't contact them even if they are okay.. Good new is, they might have made it out in time."

"So what do we do now?" A heavy shrug came from the shoulders of the older girl, who handed the scroll back to her with a grim frown. Even as Ruby watched, all the emotion drained from the wolf-girl's face and was replaced with a concentration, the ears atop the other student's head twitching as if trying to catch something they had missed. "What is it? ..Claire?"

"Fighting." That was all that the wolf-girl said before dashing off into the forest, leaving her behind to catch up. Ruby didn't hesitate, trusting the Faunus' more keen senses, and knowing that the only people that could be out here were either their friends, or the enemy they had sought to find here. Using her semblance to close the gap, she quickly matched pace with her, dodging through the underbrush of the forest as deftly as she could manage. A few times, she felt a branch of the smaller vegetation hook onto the fabric of her skirt and tear through, leaving the edges of the clothing torn and ragged.

It wasn't long before she could hear what the wolf-girl had first picked up, the sound of weapons striking each other again and again. They sprinted toward the sound, eventually breaking out from the denser part of the treeline and entering a large clearing. Debris was strewn all across the area, signaling that this was home to one of the entrances to the base that had been destroyed. But what drew Ruby's gaze was the figure standing between them and the source of the sounds that had drawn them to this place.

At first it had seemed as if the stranger had been waiting for them, but the woman was facing the wrong way, hands in the pockets of her pants and watching the battle that was being fought on the other side of the clearing. She wore a white bolero jacket with a high collar, the inside lining of the garment a bright orange color. Beneath that was a black shirt that ended just before the white belt the held up the dark jeans covering the woman's legs.

On the back of the jacket lay the woman's emblem, a revolver cylinder that was empty of all but one round. Ruby's eyes wandered down to the weapons holstered at the back of the stranger's belt, surprised to find that they looked more like relics than modern armaments. The pair of pistols were crafted in an old style, with flintlock mechanisms, but signs that they were more recent that their structure would imply were also present. The bottom edges of both firearms were home to long blades, doubling the weapons as knives in the case of melee combat, and revolving chambers capable of holding six rounds broke the space between grip and barrel.

But what truly signaled the woman out as an oddity was the mismatched color of her hair. Dropping to a length midway down the stranger's back, one half of the strands were a dark black color, while the other sported a bright tawny hue. Stark white divided each of the halves, and as Ruby traced that line with her gaze, she spotted the ears that marked the woman as a Faunus. Cat ears stood above the hairline, the fur of each colored in accordance with the side that it sat on, and topped with the same white as the line that divided the hairstyle

It was then that one of those ears flicked towards them, and the Faunus turned to regard them with a sly smile. "Oh, hello. Nice to see that more of you made it out." Ruby gulped as she saw the cold way the mismatched eyes regarded them, no warmth evident in the orbs despite the sweet tone the stranger employed. Heterochromatic in the same colors as the hair, the woman's gaze slid over her and settled upon Claire. "And you.. I wasn't told about you."

Those words were spoken with a purr, a tone that dropped it's false welcoming sound and adopted one that was more appreciative. "Who are you?" Ruby's hand had already closed on the shaft of Crescent Rose when the black and orange eyes returned to her, but she hesitated, preferring to see if she could talk them out of a fight first.

"Calico Ayre." The name was uttered in a proud voice, and the odd Faunus dropped forward into a bow, that mocking smirk never fading from the pale lips as the woman straightened. "You are cuter than I was led to believe.." Shifting her weight uncomfortably as the mismatched orbs slid down her form before flicking back up, Ruby felt her skin crawl from that same deadened look in the gaze. "Not that it matters. Orders are orders, I suppose." Pale hands clad in leather gloves darted behind the woman's back, but Claire was the faster of them all.

Smashing a shoulder into the smaller Faunus, she sent Calico tumbling as she rolled forward. Rising up to her feet after the maneuver, she drew Staccato Scar and spun to slash at the enemy, only to find her attempt met with a quick block with one of the pistols she had seen holstered on the woman's belt. Pushing her advantage by bearing down on her kneeling opponent, Claire growled and sought to drive the assassin into the ground.

The second pistol foiled her plan, emitting the signature click of a flintlock as it was brought to bear beneath their locked blades. A dust round detonated against the aura protecting her stomach, forcing her back and causing her to lose her balance. Claire swung the saber up to defend as her free hand snatched Packmaster from it's place at her belt, evening the odds as she fired a burst at the enemy.

Calico was a more nimble opponent that she had anticipated, rising up from the ground and springing back into a handstand before flipping again and landing in a readied position. A teasing giggle came from the cat Faunus, taunting her forward. Ruby answered the call first, dashing to the side of their enemy and bringing the edge of the scythe in a arc towards the White Fang member's back.

Rushing the opportunity, Claire struck out with the saber in her hands, attempting to complement the high attack of the other Beacon student by going in low. The Faunus dived toward her, deftly dodging both of them and arriving behind her. Whirling about to face her opponent she recoiled in surprise when an empty hand darted forward and shoved against her chest.

Stumbling back a step, the edge of her boot caught on an exposed root and tripped her up, bringing her down to the ground. Growling as she gripped the hilt of her saber and started to rise, she looked up to find that her enemy had been replaced with an entirely different person. Caught in the moment as she was, Claire forgot entirely about the fight as she stared up into the impossibly familiar eyes, her reflection clear in the pools of silver. "..Summer?"

* * *

Blake watched as another clone took a hit that would have disemboweled her, the curved edge of a knife cutting through the misty substance and causing a frustrated growl to come from the wolf that stalked her. Blood red narrowed into an intense glare as the assassin closed the distance once again, denying her a chance to catch her breath as she spun and lashed out with katana and cleaver, meeting the enemy in the middle and locking their weapons together.

Her aura flared, and she activated her semblance to dash to the side, but this time was stopped by a fist that came from the direction she was heading. The older woman had dropped one of the knives, and instead punched toward where she had been going. Dazed by the force behind the wild attack, Blake stumbled back and felt her grip on Gambol Shroud weaken. She was aware of the clone that dissipated after a few seconds nearby, but the draining effect of being hit by this White Fang assassin had begun to take it's toll.

A long agonizing moment of inability to act ended in her fingers slipping from the handles of both parts of her weapon, and they fell to the forest floor as she attempted to scurry away. Stopped by the way her scarf constricted on her neck, Blake felt her momentum reverse as she was pulled back toward the assassin, caught by the piece of clothing.

Terror filled her mind as she imagined a knife stabbing into her back, but no such attack came. An arm wrapped about her throat and held her close enough that she could feel the muscles in the limb tense up. Then she felt it, her already damaged aura seeping away at an alarming rate. She struggled against the grasp, getting weaker by the second as her energy was sapped, but she could do little as the wolf Faunus drained her.

It was over as soon as it had begun, and Blake was released from the chokehold, struggling to keep herself upright as she stumbled forward. She made it a few steps before falling, barely managing to cushion the blow with her hands as she twisted onto her back, staring up at the enemy Faunus with a glare. "Interesting design.." The woman's voice was dark and low, and even in the dark of the night, night vision allowed her to see that assassin was holding the katana portion of Gambol Shroud. Fingers slid along the edge of the blade, and the single eye turned towards her as a knife slashed away the ribbon that was attached to the hilt. "This'll do."

Ruan advanced on the prone cat-girl with a menacing grin.

* * *

"..Summer?"

Ruby froze as her mother's name was uttered, staring at the kneeling form of her friend as the wolf-girl looked up at Calico with wide eyes. The stranger's gaze slid to her, a shrug coming from the slender shoulders as the empty hand retrieved a holstered pistol and both of the weapons aimed in the direction of the older girl.

"Claire!"

Her shout seemed to shake the wolf-girl from whatever had disabled her, allowing the younger of the two Faunus to charge the assassin that was aiming at her. Ruby watched as both forms went down in the aftermath of the tackling motion, tumbling along the forest floor as she followed. Swiping down at the woman that had attacked them, Crescent Rose dug through the dirt and embedded only an inch from it's target.

The woman was rolling away, and as Ruby turned to re-engage the enemy, she caught sight of the other fight going on in the clearing. Amber was nowhere to be seen, but she could see the White Fang assassin as clear as day, standing over a prone form with a weapon raised. Her breathed hitched in her chest as she recognized the blade, and knew who it was that was about to be executed. Aura surged through her limbs as she activated her semblance, rose petals announcing her departure as she launched forward, pushing herself to the limit in order to save Blake.

* * *

Yang awoke slowly, aware only of the pounding ache that came and went every few seconds, leaving just enough time between that the pain was fresh and raw again. A ragged groan escaped from between torn lips, her tongue slipping out to reveal a cut traveling vertically through each of them, drawing a wince as she finally managed to open her eyes to the world. Dim light provided enough illumination that she could tell that she was still underground, but there was still a dark patch that concealed everything outside of the immediate area.

Mentally checking her body for injuries, she found that both her arms and legs could move without much difficulty, a good sign considering what had happened. As she got her hands to a more effective position, she remembered back to when she and Iris had been running down the corridors in and effort to escape the self-destruct, and she definitely did not recall the last memory being one where she would have survived.

Pushing into the floor, Yang managed to lift her head at a slow pace, the sticky substance adhering her cheek to the concrete floor yielding with a sickening squelch. Blinking, she stared down at the ground, finding that what she had pulled away from was in fact a small pool of her own blood. There was no inkling of pain in her cheek until she rose a gloved hand to touch against it gently, recoiling from her own fingers as she discovered that several layers of skin had been torn away, leaving what was left raw and sensitive.

To make matters worse, the space she now occupied, either a room or a part of the hallways that had somehow survived the collapse, was getting steadily darker. Swinging her head around, Yang discovered that it was not the light from the single emergency outlet still flickering in a corner, but one of her own eyes that was causing the darkness. Or rather, the rivulets of blood that were flowing over the eye. She felt it then, the gash that traveled from inside her hairline and across her forehead, leaking sanguine fluid out at a pace that would have alarmed her in a less perilous predicament.

"Yang.." It sounded far away and mumbled, the sound of her name. She searched about for it's source, the pounding in her head starting to subside as she scraped bare knees against the jagged pieces of rubble on the floor. "Yang, can you hear me?" The voice was much closer now, as she moved around what could have once been an office desk. It was just past that that she found the owner of the beautiful cadence, indigo eyes going wide when they saw her.

Iris was on her back, pinned just below the waist by a support beam that had fallen through the ceiling. Her arms were free, the pale skin marked in dozens of places by small cuts or the beginnings of bruises, but no where near the level of blood loss that Yang herself was looking at. It allowed her to breathe a sigh of relief as she crawled up to her girlfriend's side, letting out a chuckle that found itself choked on the dust stuck in her throat. "Lighten up, it looks worse than it is."

"It looks.." The gorgeous fox-girl's features contorted in a grimace, but then settled a moment later and the violet orbs opened again to stare up at her. "It looks pretty bad, Yang." Shushing the other girl as she reached down and stroked the back of a hand along a pale forehead, she leaned forward and examined the beam that had trapped the Faunus.

"I think I can move this.." Yang looked down at the fox-girl, watching as the animalistic ears atop Iris' head twitched slightly from their deflated position, a sign that let her know the brunette was hopeful. "You ready?"

"I think my leg is broken, but I.." There came a shake of a head from the prone girl, and a hand reached over to clutch at her thigh. "Do it. We need to get out of here."

Nodding once before leaning down and pressing her lips just below her girlfriend's hairline, Yang rose to a kneeling position and moved forward. Taking up the edge of the beam with both hands, she glanced back once to confirm that the fox-girl was ready before rising up and lifting. Almost immediately, her nose caught the strong scent of blood as it leaked out from beneath the rubble. Her gaze was pulled down to see the exposed tissue of Iris' right leg, the flesh torn and beginning to bleed at an alarming rate once the pressure had lifted from it. The metal of the beam had rend through skin and muscle, leaving a tattered mess where it had fallen.

The sharp edges of fingernails dug into the bare skin of her thigh in a reflexive reaction, but what truly stopped her was the ear-splitting scream that came from the Faunus girl, a cry of agony that slowly warped into an inhuman yowl. Yang lowered the beam back into place as gently as she could in an effort to calm the other. Releasing the metal that was digging into her palms, she fell back into a sitting position and scrambled to check on Iris. The girl's chest was heaving as whimpers accompanied the shuddering fur of fox ears, and her presence was not acknowledged as the vibrant eyes remained clenched shut.

"I.." Yang felt a sob stutter her speech by bubbling up from the back of her throat, generating an ugly noise as she placed hands on both sides of the fox-girl's body, sitting directly over the other. "Your leg, it's.. I can't move this. We need help."

Gloved hands gripped her biceps, and after a long moment, the beautiful indigo orbs revealed themselves to her once again. Iris' eyes were filled with agony, a sensation that had not been present until Yang had lifted the beam. The memory of torn flesh and exposed muscle was not to be erased from her memory any time soon, she was sure. "G-Go.. Weiss and Nyx might have made it, they can.." The words were spoken with a determined growl behind them, and with them came a shove that was weak enough to be considered pathetic.

Yang's gaze slid from her girlfriend towards the way they had been going, finding that the hallway was blocked by the framework that had once been the support structure of the tunnels, but it looked as though it could be navigated through. The notion entertained itself in her mind for a brief second before she snapped her view back to the fox-girl. "No, I am not leaving you."

"You aren't." A hand cupped her cheek, and then dragged her down for a light kiss, a mere touching of lips that would have left her whining for more under different circumstances. "You're getting help. Someone must have made it. And the only other option is.. Is that we both die down here." Fingernails softly raked against the cheek that remained unbroken by the gashes that tore her other, a desperation conveyed in those digits that matched the tone of the Faunus' voice. "We're going to make it out, got it?"

She gave a nod, then braced herself for the effort to rise to her feet once again and make her way out of this place in search of aid, but was stopped by fingers that closed about her shirt. "Wait." Leaning back to tilt her head in Iris' direction, Yang waited patiently as the fox-girl shifted a small amount, pointing down towards the back of her pinned legs. "Reach down there and grab my gunblade."

"What? ..Why?"

"Because I did not trigger that self-destruct.." This revelation caused Yang to stop looking at the blood that matted the fur of the fox-girl's tail, and stare back into the concerned gaze of her girlfriend. "There is someone else here that did it, so grab it for me."

Giving a nod, Yang held a hand to her continually throbbing head before reaching down beneath the pinned girl. Her fingers brushed past fur, then slid across a firm surface covered by jeans before touching leather. Angling her body in a way that would allow her to reach further, she finally brushed the pads of her fingers across the metallic handle of the weapon. Pulling it free, she winced as Iris took a sharp intake of breath in response to the pain of her leg being slightly displaced.

Siren Melody was one of the most beautiful weapons she had come across at Beacon, it's silvered metal always shining and kept in good condition. Now, that luster was stained in bright red, the droplets of blood splayed across the surface of the blade in a mockery of it's owner. Laying the rifle across Iris' chest, Yang watched as a hand weakly grasped the handle, and a nod signaled that the fox-girl was ready for her to leave. Leaning down to kiss her girlfriend once again, she clutched to the collar of the collared shirt the girl wore before lifting away. "Stay safe, I'll be back as soon as I can."

* * *

**Author's Note: Another split up chapter! So what was supposed to be chapter 14 has now become 14, 15, and 16. On the bright side, I will be updating tomorrow with the penultimate chapter in Volume 1. I must admit that I was becoming a bit apprehensive of this fic. I wasn't happy with the story and where it was going or could go, but I reminded myself that I set out in writing this without a clear structure in mind, and I just want to say that I'm glad so many have enjoyed it regardless of my drabbling nonsense. You're awesome. All of you. Thank you to all those who favorited, followed, and reviewed. Please feel free to drop a review with your thoughts, and check back tomorrow! -Fox**


	16. Fall Forever

**Chapter 16: Fall Forever**

* * *

_**Roses &amp; Thorns **_**– Volume 1 – Chapter 16**

**-Fall Forever-**

* * *

Blake's chest rose and fell at a quickened pace as her back connected with the solid truck of a tree, trapping her in a situation in which there was no escaping the assassin that towered over her. Her eyes flashed between the cold stare emanating from the singular eye of the enemy Faunus, and the sharp edge of Gambol Shroud's katana blade that was held out to the side. Even in the grip of fear from her impending death, the corners of her mind that remained rational spoke of the way that something was off about this.

A step in her direction was a half second too slow, an ear turned as if it were listening for something else, and a gaze that stared at her in an unfocused manner. All of these things allowed Blake to regain some control over her actions, as she crawled back into a sitting position against the tree and curled her fingers into fists. "Careful now, kitty-cat." The rough voice coming from the White Fang assassin was mocking, and the point of the katana was lifted in her direction, a warning of what would come if she continued her present course.

Even as she settled back into a more relaxed stance, confused as to why the older Faunus would not want to capitalize on a golden opportunity against an unarmed opponent, she watched as the woman's eye closed. The assassin was concentrating on something besides her, but the length of Gambol Shroud allowed her no idle thoughts of interruption. Energy as black as the night pulsed around the masked woman's form, and from where Blake sat, the world slowly lost it's color.

The shining silver of moonlight dulled into a more neutral white, and the red of the leaves that lay crumple beneath her form lost their hue until each vein on the fallen vegetation was a colorless gray. Blake felt what was happening more than saw it. The last vestiges of her aura, the attempts at recovery in the lack of continued strikes against her energy, burned away as the field expanded and enveloped the area around them.

She understood then, what the wolf Faunus' semblance was. The earlier chokehold wasn't simply draining her aura, it was nullifying it completely, burning it away to leave her weakened and defenseless. Blake started as the assassin's eye opened, no longer a static color. It now burned the glowing hue of blood in a world of grays, the single source of color left inside the bubble of non-energy. A satisfied smirk spread across the woman's lips, and the katana was raised to deliver a killing blow.

Movement caught her attention from behind the older Faunus, and Blake's gaze slid past the sanguine orb to investigate. She saw pieces of black floating down amidst a backdrop of gray, and realized far too late that what she was looking at were rose petals. A new fear replaced the old as she stared back at the assassin that was froze in place, about to execute her with her own weapon. But the wolf-woman wasn't looking at her, that blood red eye was not focused upon her, but instead drifting as if to peek behind them.

"Ruby, no!"

Her warning was either too late, or simply unheeded, as the girl entered the nullified area. A brilliant flash of red aura being burned away caused Blake to wince and raise a hand to cover her eyes, but she still caught a glimpse of the handle of Gambol Shroud rotating in the hand of the assassin, the katana falling into a reversed grip. The next sound that reached her ears was undeniably disgusting, simultaneously introducing the forceful impact of two bodies colliding, along with a moist squelch that caused her to recover from the flinch faster than she normally would have.

An instant of a shadow flying by was all that she saw before her eyes locked onto the form of the Faunus standing above her, rolling a shoulder as if recovering from a hit. Blake noted a distinct lack of Gambol Shroud, and the evil way a pleased grin seeped onto the wolf's expression. "Orders were I couldn't kill you.. But you make good bait, Belladonna." With each word, color seeped back into the world, and the nullification field dissipated.

"N-no." Rolling to the side of the tree, Blake abandoned all thought of her own safety as she scrambled forward, after that flash of red she had seen. It wasn't far from where she had sat, the crumpled heap of a girl that had rushed to save her from the assassin. The scene she arrived at was nothing short of grizzly, the black blade of Gambol Shroud stained a bright red and tearing through the fabric of the younger girl's signature cape. "No!"

Tears somehow found their way to her eyes through the haze of shock as her hand faltered a few inches above the shoulder she had been about to grab to turn the form over. Blake had experienced death before, such as it was with the life she had led before Beacon, but something was different this time. Grief was mixed with an all-consuming anger, and topped with a taste of despair as she heard the gurgle of a cough emanate from Ruby's prone body.

Instead of acting on her urge to turn the girl over, Blake instead scampered around to stumble into a sitting position near her friend's head. Silver eyes were wide and filled with a fear and confusion that she had never thought to see in the younger student's gaze, unfocused as it was. "Ruby.." The name choked as it rose in her throat at the same time as a sob, and her hands reached down to pull the smaller body towards her and cradle the girl's head in her lap.

A hoarse cough sounded, and a second later she felt a nauseating warmth flood over the hand that was touching Ruby's cheek. Her gaze was pulled toward the sensation, staring into the pool of blood that leaked between the spaces of her fingers, draining away into the dirt as it fell. The body Blake held shuddered as a small hand clawed at her forearm in a weak grip, and she got her first glimpse of the wound. The katana of Gambol Shroud was buried to the hilt in the center of the girl's chest, the pistol spattered with drops of red that had exploded out from the force of the impaling blow.

She struggled to remain calm as the sound of footsteps snapping twigs caused her to start and look over at the approaching intruder. Instinctively, a hand made it's way to her shoulder, only to find that her weapon was not present. Dread filled her mind as she recalled where half of that blade now lay, and she instead wrapped her arms about the dying girl she held, committing to protect her friend no matter the cost.

But when a form slid down to a kneeling position beside her, no attack came. A hand laid across her back, gentle enough in its intention to bring her up and looking at the newcomer. Red eyes stared back at her, filled with the same shattering that Blake felt in her own chest. "Amber..?"

"Pull the blade out, Blake." The redhead's eyes flicked down to the wounded girl, then slid back to her, a new light of determination evident within them. She knew in that moment what the other student's intentions were, and even with the gurgling cough that came from Ruby, Blake still hesitated. Her hand moved as if of it's own accord, wrapping around the hilt of Gambol Shroud and pausing as she looked to the Pinion girl. A nod answered the unasked question, and with that confirmation, she pulled as hard as she could.

What answered her efforts was a howl of agony from the girl in her arms, the sound gouging at her heart as she persisted.

* * *

Claire stumbled from the treeline, panting as she swung around to meet the challenge of the opponent she had been tangling with, but Calico did not step out from the shadows. The other Faunus remained back, mocking her with a laugh and holstering the pistols that had been used in their fight. Despite all her skill, she could barely match the cat-girl in combat, managing only to delay the assassin from reaching her friends until she had been forced into the clearing by the flow of the battle.

Then she caught the scent, the reason that Calico had been toying with her, and had allowed her to disengage in this direction. Sniffing as she turned, Claire found the source of the smell almost immediately, it's distinction familiar and terrifying. Ears covered in black fur and topped with gray twitched as the wind shifted, and the other Faunus slowly moved to look at her. The single visible eyebrow on the features lifted in surprise before the entire expression twisted into a dark grin. "Hello, little sister."

"Ruan." Claire felt a pang of memory thunder through her heart, generating no small amount of ache and rocking her back a step. From where she stood, the years had not been kind to her older sibling, with a half dozen new scars visible on her sister's face alone. A part of her yearned to cry out with joy, a part that she had thought long gone, destroyed by the weight of the past. What stopped her was the eyepatch that the other wolf wore, the bone white mask stylized in the same vein as the Grimm. "I thought.."

"Dead? No, not yet." Her sister chuckled, but it was a sound that conveyed no happiness. Hollow and uncaring, just as Claire's remembered in those last days they had spent together. There was something new, as well, a light in the remaining blood red eye that told of a unquenchable hatred, a burning emotion that had driven the older sibling through the wounds that should have meant death. "Your friend with the cape though? Not so lucky, I'm afraid."

Ruan raised her right hand so that her little sister could see it, stained red with the blood of the girl with the cape. Pulling a cloth from her vest pocket to clean herself, she glanced up from the work to see how Claire was reacting. There was such a delicious mixture of uncertainty and conflict in the younger wolf's gaze, a hesitation in the way the brunette peeked past her to the woods beyond, where the Rose girl now lay. Then came the anger, and slowly it twisted the youthful features of her sister's face until they were contorted into rage.

"Heh, there it is." Ruan readied herself as Claire charged, dropping into a defensive stance as the saber sliced through the air toward her. Instead of evading the clumsy attack, she stepped into it, grabbing a hold of the wrist and twisting it in an effort to disarm her sister. The younger sibling was not deterred, keeping a grip on the blade and raising the barrel of a pistol to aim at her.

Relinquishing her hold on the wrist, Ruan spun and smashed a fist against the barrel of the firearm, throwing her sister's arm wide and causing Claire to release the weapon. The pistol spun off into the darkness of the trees, and the saber was left as the younger Briar's sole defense. Another slash, driven by anger, pressed the attack.

Slipping back away from the edge of the crystalline saber, she watched with amusement as the blade caught fire, the Dust within ignited into a blaze. Claire lunged at her with a wild stab, a move that would have had more of a chance against any other opponent. But Ruan knew the rage that now fueled her little sister, and how predictable it made the younger Faunus.

A low stab was countered with a boot smashing down atop the blade, driving it into the dirt and holding it in place as Ruan reached down and gripped the hilt of it, crushing the fingers that were already gripping there. Surprise melted away some of the rampant anger in the brown eyes of her younger sister, a break in the rage that allowed her to smile mockingly as she suddenly lifted upwards, channeling her semblance into the weapon and it's bearer.

The sound of the blade shattering was more than enough to bring Claire back to a more rational state of mind, as she was thrown back from her weapon holding nothing but a hilt with a few inches of jagged metal attached to it. Off balance and now disarmed, she wasn't prepared for the agility her older sister displayed by tackling into her, taking them both to the ground.

* * *

Blake had seen it once before, Amber's semblance, after the fight against the Death Stalker in the same forest they were now in. It may have been more the shock than anything, but she found herself enraptured by the way the fiery aura lit up around the smaller girl's frame and shaped itself into burning wings that extended as the use of Aura continued.

When Amber's eyes opened, they were no longer just red, but instead blazing pools of fire as a hand pressed against the opened and seeping wound on Ruby's chest. Blake could not see if it was working, prisoner as she was to the spectacle as she shivered to the side, Gambol Shroud shaking in her grip as droplets of blood ran down the blade. She couldn't help but feel that this should bother her more, that letting the Pinion girl take on this was simply too much to ask.

_But it's Ruby.._

Her own thought boomed like the aftereffects of a lightning strike through her mind, flaring up everything that she was feeling at the moment, the mass of guilt and pain mixing with the tiniest spark of hope as Amber continued. A click sounded from the clearing where she had fought and failed against the White Fang assassin, and a gunshot followed it immediately. The redhead that was focusing on healing Ruby pitched forward, crying out in pain as Blake looked to find a cat Faunus aiming a strange pistol in their direction. "No!"

All thoughts of emotion were pushed aside with practiced ease as she scrambled to her feet and tore forward, gripping the bloodied hilt of Gambol Shroud tightly enough it felt as though her knuckles would burst. A blade on the underside of the flintlock the older Faunus had fired blocked her first slash, but nothing stopped her as she rolled under the deflection and stabbed backwards.

Metal scraped against the surface of an orange aura, causing sparks to fly as the cat danced away. Despite the fury of her first two attacks, Blake could not pursue her opponent quickly, her drained Aura still depleted. Dashing towards the assassin, she was forced aside by one of the pistols while the other was aimed toward the two girls she was trying to protect. The mechanism slammed down and lit the Dust contained within a barrel, sending another round towards Amber as she watched.

The light of Amber's semblance flickered a few times before burning bright once again, but Blake knew that they could not keep this up for much longer as she stabbed at the older Faunus. The woman spun into the attack and smashed an elbow into her face, causing the already tender tissue of her recovering nose to flare up in agony as she stumbled back. Two more shots rang out, and the mismatched eyes of her opponent met her gaze with a broad grin as tendrils of darkness snaked into her vision.

The glow of fire from the treeline died out behind Blake, casting the clearing back into darkness as the sounds of the two wolf Faunus fighting nearby became the only sounds in the night.

* * *

"Nyx, over here." Weiss put her shoulder to the door, groaning as she managed to shove it open. They had been lucky so far, with most of the tunnels they had used to get this far into the base still intact after the explosion. She shuddered at the thought of what would have happened if they had been trapped next to the collapsed section and forced to wait for rescue. They never would have made it.

The taller figure of the Pinion boy brushed by her as she took a moment to take in a deep breath and steady herself before following him down the long hallway. Lights that had once illuminated the base from the ceiling now hung in tatters from the concrete, shooting off sparks every few moments and providing what little light was necessary for them to navigate the narrow confines. What had once been a spacious tunnel was now a maze of beams and piles of rubble that had fallen through the structure, shuddering every few minutes as if to warn them that it was trying to follow the rest of the installation into the river below.

As the long passage of time marched on, Weiss found herself using the light of her scroll to reveal the more darkened corners and rooms that they passed, looking for any sign that the others of their Teams had made it through the destruction. It was inevitable that their luck would run out, however, as they reached a hallway that was completely caved-in, making passage impossible. "Well, now what?"

Turning to look at the dark-haired boy with a raised eyebrow, she gave a shrug of her shoulders, grimacing as she felt sweat seep into some of the smaller cuts that lay beneath her clothing. "Now we wait, I guess. The map that Claire and Ruby found has a tunnel that connects the interior of the base to these hallways, but it's two intersections ahead of this one."

"Let me see that?" She offered the scroll to him, narrowing her eyes as she watched him study it and glance about as if he was noting there position. After a long moment, he pointed to the door that led into an office near where they stood. "There should be a room next to this one that leads back into the hallway." Weiss failed to grasp how that was helpful as she looked at the portal for a long moment before returning her gaze to him, the yellow eyes crinkling in amusement. "Blast through the wall and we can bypass the wreckage, right?"

"Huh." Stepping past the other student with a determined pace, she turned the knob of the door and shoved it inward, finding the room relatively undamaged by the self-destruct. "It might actually work.."

The hum of a generator spun up behind her as Nyx marched in with his weapon in it's bow form, the thread of pure energy coming to life between each end of the limb. "Of course it will." He smirked at her for a brief moment before pulling back on the string, bringing to life an arrow made of the same plasma that powered Winged Triumph.

Weiss stepped back to stand beside him as the first arrow was launched into the wall, shattering the concrete and blasting a few inches of the material into gray dust. Another followed, and then another. It was not long before the hole was wider and allowed a glimpse into the next room, and she had to hand it to the other student's ingenuity at coming up with such a shortcut. The steady stream of bolts slowed, causing her to glance at Nyx as his fingers danced over the interface on the riser of the weapon.

Yellow eyes glanced up toward her. "Might want to cover your eyes for this." She didn't hesitate to do as she was told, knowing perfectly well what it was that the boy was about to do. Deprived of sight, she relied on her other senses to tell her when the blast would be coming. A build up of energy was the first sign, a hum that slowly grew to a thundering beat, and then a shriek as the missile was loosed and burned through the air. It culminated in the heat of an explosion passing over her skin as she felt tiny bits of debris impact and bounce away, leaving nothing but a light stinging sensation as she opened her eyes.

Where once a wall had blocked their path, now it lay opened to their passage and it's remnants crumbling from the force of the missile that had impacted it. They both moved forward cautiously, before stepping through the new portal with a swiftness that told of their unease of the structure's deteriorating state.

Weiss was not truly prepared for what awaited them on the other side, having expected another collapsed room and a denial of a way forward, or the hope for a clear path that would lead them out of this place. The one situation she did not truly anticipate was the blonde leaning against the doorway that led out into the corridors they had tried to circumvent, nor did she think that anything could possibly put the tough brawler in the current condition she was in.

"Yang.." Her first step into the room was little more than a fumbled attempt at getting closer, stunned as she was. The blonde had been caught in the explosion and subsequent cave-ins, that much was sure, but the current state of her teammate's body left Weiss amazed that she was still alive, let alone standing. Numerous cuts could be seen everywhere there wasn't clothing or gear to obscure it, splashes of red that stained the pale skin or the hues of the nearby fabric. A gash traveled from the edge of Yang's nose to the bottom of her chin, slicing through both lips and making the smile look more painful than relieved.

But the worst was the cascade of blood that was leaking from the open wound that had been slashed across the girl's forehead, a nasty looking hit that she was sure would have put a lesser person out of the fight completely. "Thought that might be you.." Yang spoke with a weary chuckle, and a voice that seemed far too weak when compared to the resolve that Weiss could see in the lilac colored eyes. "Need your help."

The blonde rolled along the wall that was being used as support, pointing off down the hallway. Nyx was the first to break through the shock of finding Yang alive and in such a state, surging forward to catch the brawler as she fell away from the surface that had held her upright. Weiss moved past them both, following the gesture a few steps before turning around. "..Iris?"

"Pinned, but not far." She watched as Nyx draped one of the girl's arms around his shoulders, holding Yang up as he nodded down the way she had come. Weiss gave a similar confirmation, spinning back around to march off in the direction she had been given. It was something, at least, that they could save these two of their teammates, and hope that the other four had made it out.

* * *

"This isn't yo-" Claire choked on her own breath as a hand closed about her windpipe, struggling to break free as the grip lifted her free from the ground and her view of the forest was suddenly upended. Pain lanced through her spine as she was slammed down into the dirt, but her lungs flooded with relief as the pressure was released from her throat, her body struggling to maintain consciousness from the combined assault of physical attacks and the draining of her Aura.

"This is me, pup. I'm not what you remember, true. I'm better, stronger. An Alpha." Against her will, a whimper passed through her lips as she squirmed on the ground, and the weight on her throat was replaced with a larger form straddling her. She was pulled a few inches off the ground by fists clenched on the edges of the tan jacket she wore, and Claire found herself face to face with her older sister, the rough features of her sibling twisted into a derisive sneer. "Still wearing this rag, really? Dad's dead, Claire. Time to move on."

"Let go of it.." It was pathetic, the way that she begged the older Faunus to release the jacket, the beginnings of a sob on the tail end of her tone. "Please." In the end, it only spurned Ruan on further, as the torn fabric was pulled further away from her chest. Each new sound of tearing caused the grin on her sister's face to grow larger and more sinister, until finally the cloth snapped and Claire fell back onto the dirt, tears beginning to burn in the corners of her eyes as she glared upwards.

Ruan glanced away to toss the scraps of the jacket to the side, allowing Claire a moment to collect herself and lash out with a closed fist toward the older Briar's face. It hit just as her sister was beginning to look back, throwing the other Faunus to the side and allowing her to jump atop the prone form and gain the advantage, winding back another punch. It seemed like whatever her sister had done to drain her Aura had done the same to Ruan's energy, as the strained knuckles of her fist smashed into the hard surface of a cheek bone.

A growl was all that warned her as both of her sister's hands closed about her head, pulling her down just as Ruan surged upwards. Their foreheads connected, but Claire was ill-prepared to take such an attack, ending up dazed and with her vision swimming as she was shoved off. She couldn't focus as fingers tangled through a bunch of her hair and forced her face into the forest floor, holding her down in a humiliating gesture.

"You never knew when to back down from a fight." A fist slammed into the back of her left side, causing her to cry out as she fell over, the hold relinquished on her hair as a knee pressed onto her chest. "You're beaten, pup, and your friends are probably dead by now. So here's the choice: You can join me, or.." A hand disappeared behind Ruan's back, coming back into view holding a knife that sported a wickedly curved edge. "Or I cut you out of the pack."

Regaining some of the focus she had lost in the recent bashing, Claire snarled in defiance, letting out a low growl as her ears twitched against the dirt. In response to her lack of a real answer, she was lifted by the hold on the back of her neck before being slammed against the ground, causing another cry of pain to escape as Ruan let out a sound of frustration and flipped her over. "Shared blood might mean something to me still, but my patience is limited. An answer, or I tear your throat out."

Claire could feel the edge of the blade scrape along her stomach, it's tip digging beneath her shirt and setting a chill into her bones as she realized just how vulnerable she was at the older wolf's mercy. Nevertheless, she settled her expression into a glare, staring up into the single blood red eye that scowled back down at her. Memories of that orb being filled with happiness were swept away from the intensity of the anger that she saw there now, from the utter lack of warmth. "We're not family. My sister is dead."

The scowl faded into a grin, and the knife was pulled back from her skin. She saw the weapon flip in the other Faunus' hand into a reversed grip, and Ruan let out a dark laugh. "Wrong answer, Claire." Even as the blade descended toward her chest, she heard the sharp whistling tone of a thrown weapon, and a silvery dagger shattered into the side of her sister's killing instrument. The crystalline fragments dissipated almost instantly, but the force of the impact shoved the older Briar's attack to the side, and the White Fang assassin whirled about to face the new threat.

* * *

Yang stumbled through the doorway to the room where she and Iris had survived the destruction of the facility, freeing herself from Nyx's grip as she slammed into the desk and slid around the obstacle. The tip of her boot impacted the metal of Siren Melody as she moved, the weapon laying to the side of the fox-girl she had left to search for help, an empty hand beside it.

"N-no.." Sliding down into a kneeling position next to the still form of Iris, Yang reached out and gently cupped the girl's face, already feeling a sob bubbling up in her chest. It proved unnecessary, as eyelids fluttered a few times before sliding open, revealing a tired gaze that broke into a small smile when it spotted her.

"You're back."

Yang was about to reply when she was pushed to the side by the form of Nyx Pinion. "Iris? Hey, need you to stay awake, alright?" The boy slid down and looked to be examining the fox-girl, pausing when he saw the edge of the wound present on his teammate's thigh. After a long moment where she wanted to yell at him to explain what it was he was seeing, he turned around to look right at her. "Yang. Going to need your help getting her out from under the beam, but we'll need to stop the bleeding quickly."

A nod was all that she could answer with as she moved forward to reach around the edge of the beam that had pinned her girlfriend, while Nyx did the same. "Weiss, pull her out when we get it off of her." The golden eyes of the Pinion boy turned toward her, narrowing slightly as he gave a nod. "On three. One, two, three and lift!" She did as he commanded, pouring all the strength she could summon into lifting the object, and to her surprise she was able to contribute more than she had been able to before.

They managed to get it a few inches off of Iris' leg before the blooded jeans were pulled away from Yang's field of view, and a muttered confirmation from Weiss was enough that they could drop the beam a second later, both of them sighing in relief as their muscles ceased aching. Turning back, she saw her teammate already hard at work, pulling the belt from the loops that housed it on the fox-girl's pants.

Yang moved past the heiress, crouching beside her girlfriend as the soft features of Iris' face continued to contort into an expression of agony, the screech that had been uttered earlier traded in for quiet whimpers that spoke volumes of how well the fox-girl was containing the pain. The indigo eyes slid open after a moment, then widened as a scream came from the girl, a reaction to the belt being tightened above the wound that was now allowed to bleed freely. "That will do for now, but.."

She glanced over at her teammate, finding that Weiss was looking back, a deep concern etched into the Heiress' features. Yang gave a nod, understanding perfectly what it was that the other was getting at. By the time she looked back to Iris, the fox-girl's eyes were closed, with only the steady rising and falling of the Faunus' chest as a sign of life. "We need a way out, fast."

"There might be.." Watching as Weiss pulled out her scroll, Yang made a motion to stop her teammate before the heiress rubbed the back of a hand across her forehead in an effort to wipe away sweat. Cold blue eyes found her with a confused look, one that she returned with a shake of the head, staring at the smear of Iris' blood that now covered the other student's skin. "Yes! We're here, in this room." A finger pointed to the location they were at now on the map, then slid to a nearby spot. "This is a shaft that leads to the surface, like the one that Claire and Ruby were going to use."

Yang watched as Nyx peeked over the shoulder of the heiress, the Pinion boy giving a nod as they decided their course. He moved past Weiss and slipped both arms under the shuddering form of Iris, and she was forced to watch reluctantly as he lifted her girlfriend from the ground with a groan, glancing at her once he was steadied. "I got her, don't worry."

A slim arm wrapped around underneath her own, and across her back, lifting her from the position that she had been in. Weiss had taken on the duty of supporting her without any provocation, causing Yang to glance over with a raised eyebrow. "..What? You're not going to make it on your own."

The laugh that she normally would have had at the situation of the heiress helping her walk was let out as a slightly more forceful breath through her nose, but it brought a smile to Yang's face nonetheless. It made her giddy, to see an end to this nightmare finally in sight.

* * *

Blake felt a hand close about her shoulder, pulling her back as a caped form whirled around her, deftly twirling a scythe in a complicated maneuver before slamming the blade into the ground. It was a move that she had seen before, but never had it been executed so gracefully by the girl that had employed it. There was a practiced and lethal quality to this routine, and the man that now stood as a barrier between her and the older cat Faunus had a palpable sense of danger about him.

It was not lost on Calico at all, who stepped back with a hesitation that had not been present before. No matter how easy it had been to best them, it seemed that the assassin wanted nothing to do with fighting a Hunter. The staring contest lasted a matter of seconds before the Faunus with mismatched eyes turned and bolted, sprinting for the treeline.

Blake swept her gaze across the clearing, looking for the wolf Faunus that she had fought before, finding only two other people. Claire was being helped off of the ground by Memphis Slate, the Huntress that had substituted for Professor Port the last time they had come to Forever Fall. It seemed to be over with the arrival of the two seasoned veterans, and she allowed herself a moment to breath as she doubled over and pressed both palms to her knees.

A hand gently laid on the shoulder that she had been roughly displaced a moment earlier with, and she lifted her gaze to find two red eyes staring back. She recognized the man from the fight at the docks, the one who had arrived to pull them away before the local authorities had arrived. "Thank you." Blake breathed the word out as quietly as she could, still not trusting that there wasn't some other threat waiting around the corner.

Qrow answered her with a nod, his gaze lifting from her to dance over to the woman that had accompanied him before returning. "Where are the rest of you? Where are my nieces?"

It hit Blake like a brick, the sudden realization of what Calico had been doing during their fight. Her chest seized up, everything constricting into a cold sensation of panic. "..Ruby." All thoughts of exhaustion were lost as she bolted for the trees where she had left the younger girl, the darkness surrounding the area damning as she slowed to a stop a few feet away.

Where once there had been piles of fallen red leaves and dense underbrush, there were only ashes. It looked as though fire had raged in the spot without spreading, leaving behind a blackened circle. In the middle of the burned zone were the two girls Blake had rushed off to protect. Even in the low light, her Faunus heritage allowed her to see the form of Amber draped on top of Ruby, two ragged holes visible through the back of the chestplate that protected the Pinion girl's chest.

White metal was stained a deep sanguine, two rivers flowing off the edges of the armor, and a stillness to the body that told Blake exactly what it was that she was looking at. Dropping down to a crouch, she didn't acknowledge the arrival of the Hunter that had come to aid her, and she softly laid a hand on the shoulder of the smaller girl. The skill beneath her palm was still warm, but there was no life to be seen in Amber's red eyes, one of the girl's hands still firmly pressed against the wound that she had been trying to heal.

Blake slowly slid her gaze to what she dreaded to see, the blood now drying from where it had leaked out over pale skin and clothing. Gently as she could, she lifted the hand away from the wound, only to find a new river of red rising out of it at her disturbance. Momentary panic was washed away by a slim hope at the way the gash seemed much smaller than it had before, and how Ruby's chest was straining to rise with the intake of a breath.

"Ruby.."

* * *

Weiss leaned her head back against the metal of the Bullhead's transport bay, too exhausted to do much more than hold the sobbing blonde close as Memphis Slate worked to keep Ruby alive a few feet away. They had emerged from the base close enough to where the rest of their teammates been fighting that it was easy to reach them, and she could not truly describe the feeling of relief when she had spotted the two Hunters that had come to aid them.

That relief had quickly turned to horror upon realizing the condition the other four students were in, having thought that Iris and Yang would have been the worst of the wounded. She had caught only a glimpse of the stab wound in Ruby's chest, the tearing that was continually covered by a seemingly never ending spout of the younger girl's lifeblood. But worse than that was the sounds that Nyx had made upon seeing his sister's body, wails of sorrow that had cut to the depths of her own heart as she had watched him embrace Amber's corpse, pleading that she return to him.

And now she watched a Huntress wearily check the pulse of a wrist before gently setting the hand down once again. Ruby was always so vibrant, so full of happiness that it was infectious, so driven in pursuit of her goals. It was the sharp contrast to how the girl now lay limp on the floor of the transport that made Weiss disbelieve that this could be real, and that reaction numbed her to the shock of her own emotions as she stared at the pool of red that was meandering its way through crevices of the floor with each new buck or turn of the Bullhead.

Blinking rapidly a few times to regain some measure of control over her mind, Weiss looked to the girl she now held close, finding that Yang's eyes were trained upon the same thing she had previously been enraptured with. Nearby lay the prone form of the fox-girl they had found buried in the rubble of the base, Iris' eyes opened once again and focused on the ceiling, narrowing every so often in a tired grimace as the wound on her leg shifted.

She couldn't see Blake, the Faunus sitting on the other side of the small divide that separated the two halves of the compartment, but she could hear her teammate. Her ears had to strain over the sobbing that came from Yang, but ever so often she caught the soft sound of sniffling, or the intake of a a breath clogged with snot. It didn't take much to know that the cat-girl would be staring at Ruby just as she had been a moment earlier.

On the opposite side of where she sat, Weiss stared at the dulled gaze of Nyx Pinion, the archer no longer displaying a stoic persona. Even at the distance she was, she could clearly see the trails that tears had raked through the dust on the boy's cheeks, and she found it hard to lay any judgment on him for crying. The body of his sister lay next to him, Amber's eyes closed and her form still, stripped of the armor that had been ruined by the White Fang that had attacked them. One of the wings proudly displayed on the black t-shirt the girl had worn was stained with blood, the once bright and burning feathers now a deep red color.

It was then that Weiss looked at the last member of the two Teams, her gaze finding the deep brown of the other girl's eyes with an uncertainty. It took a moment for her to realize that Claire was staring past her, not truly focused on anything. The wolf-girl's face and neck were bruised, some parts of her tanned skin even cut, but the strangest thing of all was the torn clothing that was clutched in a white-knuckled grasp. The jacket that she had always seen the Faunus wear looked as if it had been ripped apart intentionally, torn instead at the seams rather than the fabric having been cut.

So stuck within her own thoughts, Weiss did not realize that the other girl had noticed her staring until the wolf ears flattened against Claire's head. Flecks of blood red shone amidst the brown hue of the Faunus' eyes as the overhead light caught the orbs in the right way, and she saw the reflection of tears brimming up as they stared at one another. Seeing the girl she had thought the fiercest of them all giving in broke the last barricade of the dam she had erected to fend off her emotions, and Weiss was left to pulling Yang closer into an embrace as sobs began silently wracking through her body.

* * *

**Author's Note: These last few chapters are probably the most re-written I've done so far. Originally Iris was going to join the White Fang, and other things.. I like this version better. Anyway, I do plan on doing Volume 2, but I am also going to be focusing on my Cyberpunk fic. Roses &amp; Thorns will be put on a rather indefinite hiatus while I do that, but I may come back and do a chapter now and then, I'm not really sure how much time I'll have. But, I do plan to finish this, so don't fret! Thank you to all those who followed, favorited, and reviewed! 'Til next time! -Fox**

**Quick Update: There's still one chapter to Volume 1, I realized that wasn't very clear in the original note!**


	17. Drifting Feathers

_**Roses &amp; Thorns **_**– Volume 1 – Chapter 17**

**-Drifting Feathers-**

* * *

It had been a week.

Yang had felt as though she was sleepwalking through life for a week. She rose each morning with a numbness gripping her heart, an unfeeling haze that colored every activity a dull gray. Her workout in the small hours of a new dawn came and went without a word exchanged between her or the other two girls that shared the room, each of them gathering up their things and moving along to class. The Professor droning on about some subject or another passed through one ear and drifted out the other, her attention fleeting at the best of times.

Even the funeral procession that was held, with the whole of the Academy in attendance, she experienced but did not feel. Yang was a passive observer as Amber's body was lowered into the grounds that lay behind the massive structure, an enormous yard marked with the gravestones of every Hunter that had died in the line of duty. Even from the row where she sat, flanked by her two teammates, she could see the intricate engraving of the burning wings that had served as the girl's emblem.

She knew that she should feel something, that she should be crying, as some of the other students were. But there was simply no more room for sorrow in her heart in such a short amount of time. She grieved for Amber, for the girl's brother, and the father that had come to see his daughter's body put to rest, but it was strange to feel sadness for a death when it was the death that had allowed her sister to live. The maelstrom of it all had coalesced into a deep seated feeling of guilt that had tore at her emotions until she just felt suppressed and deadened to the world outside of her own mind.

The one bright spot of her days was visiting the infirmary, and seeing the wide grin that spread over her girlfriend's face when she walked through the doors. Even that was immediately diminished by the continued lifelessness of the frail body that lay in the bed closest to the nurses station, the drab gown that patients wore only causing her sister's frame to look smaller and weaker than Ruby's normal outfit otherwise would have. Beside the bed sat a figure with messy brown hair and slumped shoulders, looking as worn out as she was by the past week.

Stopping for a brief moment to stare at the struggled rise and fall of her younger sibling's chest, Yang turned and moved down one of the long rows of beds until she reached the one that Iris occupied, reaching out and immediately grasping the waiting hand in her own. "Hey there." There was an impossible cheerfulness behind the fox-girl's smile, a happiness that left her feeling a touch of envy that her girlfriend could still summon such a reaction. She felt the soft pads of lips press to the back of the hand that was entwined with the other girl's. "How did it go?"

"Fine, I guess." Sliding down into the seat next to the bed, Yang kept a hold of the Faunus as she observed Iris' condition. The fox-girl was looking better than she had the last few days, a bit more color in the pale cheeks than before, but the heavy bandaging was still present over much of her girlfriend's wounded leg. "How are you?"

Iris seemed to ignore her concern, the black locks of the fox-girl's hair tumbling to cover one of the narrowed eyes as the Faunus shifted on the bed. The indigo irises that gazed at her through the gaps in the dark strands of hair showed a great deal of sympathy as slender fingers squeezed against her grip. "I'm sorry I couldn't attend." There was so much more to the apology than what was said, Yang knew, but there was also so much more to be sorry for that she did not wish to think of it.

"I need to get to class." Rising up from the chair, she leaned over the bed to bring a kiss to her girlfriend's lips, unconsciously holding the contact for a half second longer than usual. Iris seemed to sense her need, and a hand snaked its way to the back of her neck and held her there as the embrace was held. It lasted only a moment, before Yang was pulled down into a tight hug, and murmured groan of goodbye casting warm breath across the bare skin of her collarbone. "I'll come back to see you at lunch, okay?"

A coy smile and a nod was all she received for an answer as she pulled away, making her way towards the door. Even as the portal slid open, Yang rocked a half-step back to avoid running into Blake. Her partner started at her sudden appearance, both of them staring at each other for a long moment mumbling apologies before recognition set in. Before either of them could formulate a complete sentence, the other girl's amber eyes slid past her and narrowed into a glare.

Following the cold gaze, Yang saw the girl who had been sitting by her sister's bed approaching, head down and scratching at a furred ear. Claire didn't seem to notice them until she was right on top of them, looking up and freezing as she caught them staring at her. For a moment, she felt as both of the Faunus had forgotten she was there as muddy brown eyes locked with a subdued golden hue.

By simple reflex, Yang felt her gaze drawn to the cuts and bruising present on the knuckles of Blake's hands, and then continued her observation by looking over to the wolf-girl. The side of Claire's face was home to similar injuries that were more fresh than the ones that had been sustained in Forever Fall, a damning confirmation of what had occurred between the two girls. The leader of Team CAIN glanced at her for a moment, the sharp flecks of red present in the brown iris of an eye made all the more apparent by the black bruising that surrounded the socket.

Without a word between them, the wolf-girl slipped by and into the hallway, leaving Yang to watch as Blake turned and glared after her. It didn't take much more than that to convince her a change in subject was more than welcome, and she gently touched a palm to a bare shoulder. "Have you been sleeping more?"

Her concern for her partner was brushed away with a shrug, and a lazy glance in her direction. "I'm fine."

"Blake-"

"I said I'm fine, Yang." With that, the cat-girl stepped past her and into the infirmary, leaving her alone at the entrance to the small medical ward. It was more words than had passed between them since their return from Forever Fall, but it had just left her feeling even less useful than before.

* * *

It had been a week.

"Excuse me." The calm and level tone of her voice earned a nod from the older student that Weiss had bumped into, side stepping around the young man's massive frame as she continued up the stairs. Turning at the top in order to head down the hallway that had been her destination since leaving the dorm, she nearly ran into another person, distracted as she was. "Sorry."

It had been a week since they had returned one friend short from Forever Fall, all of them silent and grieving in their own way for their own reasons. She had spent seven days with words left unsaid upon her lips whenever she looked at the two of her teammates that were still conscious, or in the rare times that she visited the one that was not. It was new to her, this muteness that came with knowing that words needed to be said, but all of her repository of knowledge, and all of her usual wit, did little to allow her to say such things. Each sound faltered before leaving her mouth, leaving her staring dumbly as Yang or Blake moved through the passing hours with an exhausted stumble.

If she were being honest with herself, it made her feel as if she was going to explode if she kept all these churning emotions inside much longer. It was that feeling that directed her to seek out the one person she was sure would be recovered enough to talk to. Claire was no doubt emotional, given that it had been simultaneously revealed to her that her sister was alive and psychotic, but the Faunus girl was one of the most stalwart people Weiss had ever come across.

But even as the wolf-girl came into view, Weiss knew that she had been wrong. It had been strange to see the girl without the signature tan jacket in the last few days, and that sense of nakedness persisted. Without the ragged and torn garment cast over the broad shoulders, it seemed as if Claire was simply less of what she used to be. Hands in pockets, hunched forward, ears drooping, eyes to the ground. The threatening leader of team CAIN that had beaten her at the beginning to the semester was nowhere to be seen now, only this remnant that seemed to care less of appearances than ever before.

Brown hair was tousled and tangled in a dozen different ways, having lost the style of ordered chaos that had always suited its owner. The clothes that adorned the muscled and scarred body looked as though they had been slept in for more than a few days, with creases and patches of discoloration showing clearly on a gray shirt. Even as she approached, Weiss' nose caught the rough scent of stale sweat and dirt, but that paled to the defeated expression that dominated the other girl's face.

"Claire." She sucked in a sharp breath as those rugged features rose to regard her, not fully expecting the blackened bruises to still be discoloring the tanned skin along the ridge of the wolf-girl's left eye. Weiss tried to recover, stumbling over a clumsy greeting as both of the muddy orbs narrowed at her, and she instead changed the subject completely. "How is Ruby doing?"

"There's been no change." It was barely perceptible, the brief shrug that rose and fall in the wolf-girl's shoulders, but the roll of brown eyes was enough to convey the very frustration that Weiss felt as well. "Doctor Sheppard says we'll just have to wait for her to wake up on her own, but that it'll be any day now."

"And what about you, are you okay?" That caused a long eyebrow to quirk, and Claire's features twisted into a sense of surprise at her concern. The reaction made Weiss feel a bit indignant, as if the other girl thought her incapable of such a thing. Nevertheless, she continued. "Is your aura returning yet?"

After a long moment of staring like a deer caught in the headlights, the wolf-girl's facial features relaxed and another shrug came, this one with a touch more force behind it. "Slowly, but surely. Whatever it was that Ruan did to us, it seems that our auras can recover from it. Just takes time.." Claire seemed to twitch when it was finally noticed that Weiss was staring at the ragged cuts along the side of the girl's face, and there came a defeated sigh. "Some of the older scratches are healing, but the newer ones will be there for a while."

"I'm sorry." Her apology didn't register in the other girl, only earning her a glance before the Faunus' gaze turned away. "I still can't believe Blake hit you."

"Anyway, the rest of your Team is in the infirmary." Claire brushed her concern aside, quite literally, by pushing past her to continue down the hallway with a short look back. "Now's the time to go if you want to visit."

"Actually, I.. I wanted to talk to you.." The wolf-girl had apparently stopped listening, as she continued walking away. Weiss reached out a hand for a moment and then withdrew it, grumbling out her next words. "Later then, I suppose."

* * *

"'Not today,' said the knight, drawing the sword from the scabbard at his belt. He turned to face the crowd of soldiers and peasants, most of whom were armed only with the most simple of weapons. 'They may ha- f-f-'" Blake gripped the edges of the book in frustration as her fatigued mind continued to read ahead of what her mouth was saying. Bringing up two fingers to rub at tired eyes, she shook her head before starting again. "'They may have come this far, but no further!' With a flourish of his blade, the knight turned and pointed toward the breach in the castle walls, a rousing cheer passing through the ranks behind him.'"

Sighing softly, she dogeared the page and closed the book. "Seems cheap to read about heroes after all that has happened.." Setting the tome down on the side of the bed, she leaned forward onto an elbow and looked up at the peaceful expression that lay over Ruby's face. There were none of the signs of strain that had been present a few days ago, but that did not set her heart at ease. Too fresh was the memory of Gambol Shroud impaled into the younger girl's chest, covered in the bright color of blood. "Not that you can hear me, anyway."

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that." The accent announced clearly that the speaker was Dawn Sheppard, the infirmary's resident doctor and apparent busybody. It seemed that every time Blake came in here to visit Ruby, the lynx-eared woman was not far behind, ready with yet another speech about hope and goddamn puppies. It only served to annoy her further that the pointed glare she shot the doctor's way was wholly ignored by a bright grin. "I've seen it time and time again; Patients wake up letting me know that they heard a loved one speaking to them while they slept. You'll see, 'right?"

"It's good to talk to her. For her and you." A heavy hand clapped down on her shoulder, causing her weight to shift for a moment before she corrected herself. Blake tried not to audibly groan at the cheerfulness the woman displayed in the face of what had happened, but a part of her calmly explained that it had to be the way the doctor coped with it all. Oblivious to her torment, Sheppard continued. "Keeps her spirits up until her aura can repair her body."

"Does it matter?" Unable and too tired to hold back the words, Blake gave up trying and fired out the rest of her dark thoughts in rapid succession. "Even if she wakes up, she was stabbed through the chest! She will _never_ be as good as she could have been without this happening, and the cherry on top of that is that if she still wants to be a Huntress, she's looking at whole _years _of recovery before she's back to her new one-hundred percent! And that's not even talking about who she is!"

Throwing up an arm to block the incoming hand of comfort, Blake stood up fast enough that the chair she had occupied skidded back across the floor, generating a screeching noise as metal scratched against tile. "Ruby never let what was bothering her show! She was happy, she was kind, and she was always willing to help, no matter what it was that she had on her plate!" It didn't help that the doctor wasn't looking shocked or angry at her outburst, the woman was simply standing there with an expression that spoke of understanding. Instead of calming her, it just made Blake angrier. "She was so focused on being a stupid fucking _hero _that she never bothered to think that someone out there would try to kill her for nothing more than fun!"

A few moments of ragged breathing and glaring at the lynx-eared doctor passed before one of the furred organs atop Sheppard's head twitched and a look of sympathy passed her features. "Did something similar happen to you, Blake?"

She blanched, her anger melting away in the face of being read so easily by the woman. "I-" Blake took a step back, reaching out to grip the edge of Ruby's bed to steady herself as she swallowed her embarrassment and asked the question that had started her fear-fueled train of thought. "Will she ever be the same?"

Blake didn't try to stop the hand that came in and gently touched against her shoulder, not this time. "It depends on Ruby, love." The doctor stepped past her, taking up the chart that hung from the end of the bed. After a long pause, sky blue eyes flashed back up to regard her. "I wouldn't worry about it though, girl's a fighter." Those bright orbs filled with a more mischievous quality as they studied her. "I'll even let you know when she wakes up, give you a few minutes."

Shaking her head at the sudden turn at the end of the doctor's comments, Blake melded her gaze into a more skeptical expression. "..Why?"

The grin that was plastered on Sheppard's face didn't fade as the chart was closed and replaced on the bed. "I'm not blind, love." The older Faunus turned toward her, cocking her head to the side in a manner that caused both tufted ears to flop for a moment. "I see the way you are with her, and I definitely saw the way she was with you.. Doesn't help to flirt in front of glass windows." A nod in the direction of the doctor's office in the infirmary caused an already pink blush on Blake's cheeks to flush to a darker hue.

Now embarrassed for both her earlier behavior and the revelation that a moment she had thought was private was anything but, Blake gathered up the book laying on the side of Ruby's bed and beat a hasty retreat from the insightful doctor, trying in vain to ignore the way that Iris' wide-eyed gaze followed her as she passed the fox-girl's bed.

* * *

"Are you ready to talk about what happened?"

Claire took the coffee that was offered by an extended hand, bringing it immediately to her lips and sipping at the hot liquid, glad for anything that would drive back sleep and the inevitable nightmares it would bring. Her mind, caught in the fatigued state that came with running on the minimal amount of sleep that she could, barely registered how it burned going down her throat. There came a sigh from the Headmaster, as the man replaced the pot on the side table and took the long way around his desk, obviously having given up in the face of her continued silence.

"Perhaps you'd be willing to tell me why you have even more bruises than the last time you were in here?" Ozpin sat down across from her, but Claire refused to meet the Hunter's gaze, staring instead directly into the dark coffee in the mug she held. A non-committal shrug was all she gave, pretending to be more interested in drinking than talking. "You do not deserve such abuse. What happened to Ms. Rose was not your fault."

Letting her gaze rise as a glare set into her eyes, Claire felt anger begin to bubble as the man across the table affixed her with a calm stare. She hated it when he did this, probed her for a response while simultaneously knowing what that response would be. Of course he knew what had happened, the whole of the first year dorms knew what had transpired between her and Blake. A fist fight in the hallways was never inconspicuous, even if it was truly only one person fighting and the other simply getting beaten.

Guilt. It was guilt that had motivated her to stand there and take those punches thrown by the other Faunus girl. No matter what Ozpin said, what anyone said, she knew the moment that Ruan had stabbed Ruby that it was ultimately her fault. It was for her that her older sister had sacrificed so much for. It was for her that Ruan had given up her sanity. "Tell me of your parents." She blinked, focusing once again on the room that she was in and the person she was supposed to be talking to. "We haven't talked much about them."

"What?"

The question spilled out with a large amount of venom to her tone before she could properly respond, but as always, Ozpin seemed to take it in stride. Always understanding and patient, the man didn't even bat an eye, merely continuing on as if she had asked it in a reasonable manner. "Both of their daughters are fighters of no small talent, I'm interested in their story. If you remember any of it?"

Brown eyes studied her through the small lenses of Ozpin's glasses, much of his expression disappearing behind the tilt of a mug as he took a drink of the coffee he had poured before her arrival. Ever wary of what the man was trying to get at, Claire stumbled over the first few memories of her parents that came to mind. "Um, they were born in Vale, I think? No, wait.. My mother was born in Menagerie, but came to Vale sometime before she completed school."

There came a noise of interest as the man across the table leaned forward, listening intently as she attempted to sort out the jumbled mess that was her early memories. "They met in Vale." This time she accompanied her words with a confident nod, sure that this was the right information. "They married sometime later and moved outside the kingdom to the village where I was born."

"Can you remember anything about what they were like?"

Thinking for a moment, Claire's focus fled from the room she occupied and she was lost in a haze of old memories she had not thought of in a long time. It was strange, to be reminded of happier times after what had transpired, but it brought a sort of guilty pleasure. "My father was fierce, always serious and on alert for Grimm. He was quite the fighter whenever we needed to defend the village." A light laugh escaped from her, surprising herself as she blinked and stuttered a few times before continuing. "I remember the other kids in the village were scared of him, because he didn't tend to lighten up. But he was always warm with me and.."

She trailed off, her expression darkening as she stared again at Ozpin. But it seemed the Hunter was not to be dissuaded, as he spoke again to gently prod her. "And your mother?"

"My mother was the opposite. Everyone loved her." Claire set the mug of coffee on the desk before looking down at her hands, gripping them before releasing them in a nervous tic. "I remember her smile and the sound of her laugh the most. She was always happy, always kind to everyone and willing to help for even the smallest thing. I remember things were always better when she was around, she just made everything brighter."

Giving a nod to indicate that he understood what it was that she was saying and feeling, Ozpin leaned back in his chair. "And who was it that taught you how to fight?"

"Well, that was my mother. She was the village's best fighter.." Claire faltered, slowly allowing her gaze to rise back up to meet the stare that the Professor watching her with. In a moment of clarity, she now understood how he had orchestrated the conversation so far, she could now see the strings. "How did you know?"

There came no immediate answer, only the cocking of a single eyebrow that rose on the man's forehead. After several long seconds in which Claire celebrated her first success at seeing through his roundabout way of making her talk about certain subjects, Ozpin tapped a finger against the interface on the desk a few times, bringing up a holo-screen that contained a service record marked with the symbol of Beacon Academy.

Leaning forward in order to read the text, she froze as she realized what it contained. There, at the top of the service record, was clearly marked the name 'Luna Briar'. "Your mother was once one of Beacon's most promising students, with combat marks ranking several notches higher than some of the best Hunters in their day." He wasn't lying, as most of the grades on the record were higher even than Claire's. "She was on track to graduate with some of the highest honors, until her team was killed during her third year in the Academy."

Blinking, she focused past the transparent file and on the man who sat behind it, tilting her head to the side in order to pose the question that remained unsaid. "It was a training mission that went awry. She and her Team were operating on a basic patrol mission, limited Grimm activity, should have been wrapped up in a week and come back to school. They went missing, and two weeks later, a group of Hunters found and rescued only one of the members of Team SOUL, your mother." Ozpin took a moment to compose himself as she watched, his features dipping for a second to reveal a touch of emotion that seemed out of place for the usually stoic and calm man. "It was an accident, a fluke. There was overwhelming numbers of Grimm that hadn't been seen in centuries, and your mother's Team was dropped directly in the middle of them."

Unable to trust her legs to maintain her weight for much longer, Claire leaned back and once again took a seat, rubbing a hand against the unbruised portion of her hairline. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I don't want the same fate to befall you." With a few swipes of a finger, the holo-screen faded, and Ozpin stood. She watched as the Hunter limped toward the window, cane in hand and supporting him. "Amber is dead, and Nyx Pinion has elected to return home. It is understandable, given his loss. And what happened was a tragedy, yes, but you still have a place here."

Claire scoffed, shaking her head for a moment before speaking again. "With no team? I'm sure I'll do great."

"We will search for recruits who did not make the final cut and extend them an offer to join the Academy, attempt to replace what we have lost in these past few days."

It seemed so cold, so calculated, that the Professor could speak as if he were replacing a gear in a clock in order to make it work again, but the question that reached Claire's thoughts was much more selfish. "All to keep me?"

Ozpin turned to face her then, his eyes hard and his voice taking on a more stern tone than before. "Luna was a close friend of mine, and I failed her when I let her walk away from the Academy. It was a choice that I thought was right at the time, but years later.."

"She was dead."

Her blunt statement caused the man to give a hollow chuckle, nodding to agree with it. "Time has a way of making fools of us all, no? But all I ask of you is that you consider staying. Ms. Vex has already said that she will remain once she has recovered, and as I said the first time we talked in this office: You do have a place at my school."

"It wasn't Qrow's recommendation that got me in, was it?"

Claire watched as the man gave another chuckle, this one leagues more genuine than before, and shook his head. "No, it was not. But while I originally gave you a chance based on who your mother was, your entrance into this Academy, and the progress you have made since.. It is your own. Do not forget that."

* * *

By the time Claire returned to her dorm room, most of the other students had gone to their afternoon classes. But not her, not this period. Her talk with Ozpin had motivated her in a strange way, had pushed back the fit of melancholy she had allowed to grasp her since they all returned from Forever Fall. To know that her own mother had experienced something similar, something worse, and had come out the kind and loving woman that she remembered, it gave her a small bit of hope for the future.

But for now, there was something that she needed to do. Rapping the knuckles of a fist against the frame of the door, she slowly pushed the wooden barrier inward. The first two beds were readily visible from where she stood, the two that belonged to the Pinion twins. At least, had belonged. The top was empty of all but the basic coverings, and as she approached the frame of the bunk, she could see that the shelves that sat in the middle of the room had been cleared in places as well.

Amber's belongings had already been collected, and all that remained of Nyx's was the pack that lay on his own neatly folded bed, along with the two sheathed blades that sat beside the pillow. The boy himself was zipping up the long edge of the pack, and acknowledged her presence with a brief glance in her direction. "Claire."

"Nyx."

"I hope you haven't come to try and convince me to stay." His voice was heavy, with a touch of a nasally sound that came from a stuffed nose. She knew immediately that he had been crying in here, having been unable to do so earlier without losing face, during the burial ceremony for his sister. Somehow, knowing that made the first sign of tears begin to well up in her own eyes. "There isn't- I.. I can't-"

"Don't." Surprised at the emotion that could be heard in her own voice, Claire started when dusky yellow eyes swiveled to meet her gaze through the framework of the beds. Reaching out, she grasped the pillar that connected the bunk together and leaned against it, watching him carefully. "I know why."

Nyx sniffled, giving a single nod before looking away and staring at the pack containing all that was left of his things. There passed a long silence between them both as they stood there, her looking at him, while he avoid her gaze. Claire could never have claimed to have been close to the boy, but she had always respected him, and the way he had given so much for his sister.

After a few moments, as her mind was focused more on the tear that was rolling it's way slowly down her cheek, that silence was broken as the Pinion boy turned and regarded her with a strange gaze. "I never liked you, Claire. I thought you were reckless, and I thought you were dangerous." It wasn't exactly news to her, as she watched him gather up the strange harness that housed his two scimitars. "But Amber liked you. And that was enough for me to trust you."

She started as he offered the wrapped blades to her, a eyebrow involuntarily cocking upwards as she looked from the offering to him, earning a shrug from the boy. "If you're staying here, you'll need weapons. And I know you're not exactly in the right financial situation to obtain new ones, so here." Hesitantly, she accepted the weapons, taking them from his hands without breaking his stare. "Modify them, break them down and build something else, whatever. I don't care."

Claire was at a loss for words as she watched him take up the pack with the rest of his belongings and straighten to look at her. She took a moment to regain composure before nodding and speaking up. "I'm going to find my sister and Calico. I'm going to make them pay, Nyx."

He moved forward, stopping at her side and glancing over as he spoke. "I don't care." With that said, he stepped past her and towards the door, leaving her with his weapons as he said his simple farewell. "Goodbye, Claire."

* * *

It had been a week.

But to Ruby Rose, it had felt as though she hadn't slept in a year. The road to consciousness was one of agony, as each cell of her body felt like it was attempting to scream in protest, as if they were all on fire. The flames seemed centered in her chest, tearing and gnashing at her body as her lungs emptied of air in a breathless whine that attempted to call for help.

The last thing she remembered was running, faster than she ever had before, towards.. No, she remembered reaching down into blood, and feeling power surge through her. She remembered shock and pain lancing through her as bullets tore through her chest, but also the cold and dark embrace of death as a blade impaled her and began to allow her lifeblood to seep away.

These adjacent and conflicting sensations came with two distinct memories. The first was of looking up, of two burning orbs shining in the darkness as they gazed down at her. The next was of looking down, at two silver eyes filled with fear, both of the irises reflecting the same fire back at her. But what truly dominated the pathway of thoughts within her minds is that in either memory she was certain that she was dead.

Eventually, the blaze of consciousness overpowered all confusion and pain, and she felt fingers and toes twitch in an effort to get her body moving again. It seemed her instincts and muscles had different ideas, however, as each new pulse of blood through her veins brought with it a tearing ache that caused her to weakly scratch at her chest.

The ridge Ruby found there was what truly pulled her back into the word of the living, her eyes sliding open and revealing the darkened atmosphere of a room. She scarcely had time to register that she was in the infirmary before her back arched, the agony from before returning as the nails at the tips of her fingers dug against that ridge on her chest. Her vision turned white hot as pain thundered through her form, and her ears caught the distinct sound of a hoarse scream, a sound that took her a moment to realize was emanating from herself.

After a long moment, blurry vision swam back into some semblance of focus, and the patient and continued mutterings of a calming voice brought her back down from a high of pain. Her back touched the sheets once again, guided into place by a gentle hand upon her shoulders, and Ruby caught the sight of sky blue eyes for a single instant before darkness clouded on the edges of her vision. Black devoured all, and once again she was returned to the void of unconsciousness.

The last, lingering thought of consciousness was one of bittersweet realization; At least she wasn't dead.

* * *

**The story shall continue in Volume 2**

* * *

**Author's Note: "After the Storm" by Mumford &amp; Sons was apparently the anthem for this chapter, it was on repeat as I wrote it. Highly recommend that song. Anyway, here is the end of Volume 1 and the beginning of my hiatus on this story so I can focus on my Cyberpunk AU. I will return to this when that story is done, and I will continue this story to it's completion. It just might take a little while longer. If you have gotten to this point, there was clearly something bringing you back to it, so please drop a review with your thoughts on the story. What did I do I right, what can I improve on for Volume 2 when I come back to it? Thank you in advance, you've all been amazing readers and I hope you'll check out my other fic. -Fox**


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